The Las Vegas Raiders have big problems and it begins with head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith.
It’s not working and wildly, it’s not to early to ask, what is the end game here?
Carroll is the oldest NFL head coach ever at 74 years old and Smith is 35 years old. They were both brought to Las Vegas to bring stability and give them a chance to compete right away. But that has not happened yet.
The Raiders have now lost four straight games and are 1-4 after a humiliating 40-6 loss at the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
It was the third loss under Carroll by double digits. The Raiders fired Antonio Pierce after one full season because he was known for double-digit losses. Nine of the Raiders 13 losses were by 10 points or more.
Carroll, a Super Bowl-winning coach in Seattle, was brought in to change that culture. But the same things are happening and one can argue that the Raiders have gotten worse in 2025.
They are being outplayed and outcoached in all three phases. Carroll said he’s surprised by the poor start to the season.
“I’m processing it poorly to tell the truth,” he said after the game. “I did expect to win right out of the chutes.”
One of the reasons why the Raiders are losing is Carroll’s hand-picked quarterback, Smith has been a disaster as he has thrown nine interceptions this season. It’s the most by a Raiders’ quarterback since Jim Plunkett did it in 1982, according to ESPN.
The Raiders are bad in the red zone, on third down defense and on special teams.
They are a mess and while Carroll and Smith are probably safe for now, it’s not too early to question how they can help the Raiders in the future.
Here are some key aspects of the game:
Taylor rips through Raiders again:
Noted Raider killer Jonathan Taylor had another productive game as he scored three touchdowns and was a big part of the Colts’ offensive machine Sunday.
Questions about Pratt:
Friday, the Raiders made the surprising announcement that linebacker Germaine Pratt would not travel to the game. The only explanation was that it wasn’t injury related. Sunday, when asked about Pratt, Carroll said the Raiders decided to go with the other players at the position. That’s not much of an explanation. So, it begs the question whether there is a big-picture issue going on with Pratt that will extend beyond this week.
Bad defense on third down:
The Colts dominated in every phase and they were terrific on third down. They converted on eight of 10 third-down attempts. The Raiders have to clean that up.
Offensive line falters again:
After improved play in Week 4 after a rough first three games, the Raiders offensive line dipped again Sunday as they were playing without standout eft tackle Kolton Miller, who went on the injured reserve last week. Smith was sacked four times and pressured 13 times. So, the problems persist.
No offense again:
Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly hasn’t had a good season. The Raiders failed to score a touchdown Sunday for the second time this season. They had three field goals in a Week 2 loss to the Chargers. Chip Kelly has yet to shed the label that he is a good college coach who can’t succeed in the NFL. This is his first season in the NFL since he was the San Francisco 49ers’ head coach in 2016.
Red-zone woes:
It seems no matter who is the offensive coordinator or who is the quarterback, the Raiders can’t score in the red zone. It happens every year.
Defense falters:
After a three-and-out to start the game, the Colts’ starting offense scored touchdowns on six straight drives before they were taken out to rest. the Raiders gave up touchdowns on six straight drives for the first time since 1988.
Tough day for Devin White, Kyu Blu Kelly:
The Colts picked on linebacker Devin White and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly all game. Expect other teams to try to follow suit.
No pass-rush:
The Raiders didn’t do much in any phase, including the pass-rush. They had no sacks.
Tight-end play:
After being being elevated from the practice squad, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam had five catches for 36 yards and Ian Thomas had three catches for 20 yards. Top tight ends Brock Bowers (knee) and Michael Mayer (concussion) didn’t play Sunday. After the game, Carroll said Bowers is day-to-day as he tries to recover from a Week 1 injury. He did play up until Week 5.
Special teams is awful:
The Colts returned a kickoff in the first quarter for a touchdown, but it was wiped out by a penalty. Still, the Raiders’ special teams has had issues this season. It showed up a few minutes later when the Colts blocked a A.J. Cole punt and got the ball at the Las Vegas 8-yard line. It allowed a 69-yard kickoff and a 90-yard punt return for a score in Week 3. And, of course, there was the blocked field goal to end last week’s game against the Bears. Tom McMahon has some soaring up to do on his unit. It’s been brutal. The Raiders have had three blocked punts since the start of last season. It’s the most in that time span, according to The Associated Press.
Going to Jeanty early:
The Raiders established it would be an Ashton Jeanty game early. He caught 29-yard pass on the Raiders’ first offensive play of the game. he ended up with 59 yards total on the 16-play, 80-yard drive. That’s a lot of work. He finished with 67 yards on 14 carries and five catches for 42 yards.
Starting fast on D again:
The Raiders forced a three-and-out for the fourth time in five games Sunday to start the game. That’s a pretty impressive. Of course, the rest of the game was another story.
Long first drive:
The Raiders cruised down the field on a long drive on their first possession of the game, but the drive stalled after a 11-yard sack. Las Vegas settled for a 24-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter. It was a 16-play, 80-yard drive that last nearly 10 minutes. That’s a lot of time for a field goal.
Injuries starting to pile up:
The Raiders had good health fortune early in the season. They had the injury advantage in every game in he first quarter of the season and Carroll said it was a strong point. But now the injuries are beginning to mount. Standout left tackle Kolton Miller is on the injured reserve with an ankle issue and tight ends Brock Bowers (knee) and Michael Mayer (concussion), and starting cornerback Eric Stokes (knee) were all out Sunday. Then, star punter A.J. Cole was carted to the locker room after getting hurt on a blocked punt Sunday.
Carlson money:
Raiders’ kicker Daniel Carlson has made 36 straight field-goal attempts from 45 yards and shorter. It’s the second longest active streak in the NFL.
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