The CBS broadcast crew aptly described Pete Carroll’s and Patrick Graham’s Las Vegas Raiders defense during Sunday’s broadcast.
“They’re a softer defense this year,” the crew of Andrew Catalon, Charles Davis, and Jason McCourty noted early while broadcasting the Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers tilt.
The crew noted this is a result of Graham — the Silver & Black’s defensive coordinator — marrying his concepts with that of the head coach, Carroll, who is a defensive-minded lead man. The broadcast qualified the statement of “softer defense” with Graham being a traditionally aggressive play caller who creates chaos. But in 2025 and with Carroll as his boss, it’s a “keep the plays in front of us” and tackle-type defense.
What we continue to see is a Charmin soft coverages and scheme where teams are simply having their way with the Raiders. Try this one on for size: The Bolts finished 12 of 17 on third-down conversions as the Raiders defense couldn’t get off the field in 31-14 shellacking at the hands of the Chargers.
That play above, Chargers wide out Quentin Johnson beating linebacker Devin White and pinballing off safeties Lonnie Johnson Jr. and Isaiah Pola-Mao, was yet but one of a myriad of examples of the Raiders’ ineffective defense. After Johnson hauled in the pass, White eased up as he saw two of his teammates there to deliver a hit and Los Angeles’ wide receiver split Johnson and Pola-Mao for the hop-in touchdown.
We’re in Week 13 of an NFL season and the Raiders (2-10 overall) are still making fundamental mistakes that are usually reserved for preseason or the initial weeks of the regular season. I know NFL practice parameters focus on player health limiting the physical contact teams can endure prepping for games. But, one can question whether Las Vegas practices proper tackling technique.
Another example of the Raiders’ shoddy defensive technique was on full display in the third quarter. With the game knotted at seven, Chargers’ running back Kimani Vidal electrified the Bolts (8-4) and left the Raiders thunderstruck on a 59-yard sprint to the end zone.
It was a comedy of errors for Las Vegas as White couldn’t get to him, rookie cornerback Darien Porter got walled off on a block, Johnson got juked coming downhill from his safety spot and touchdown. In between that was both linebacker Jamal Adams and safety Jeremy Chinn both hitting the turf taking them out of the play. That ignited the Chargers to three-straight scoring drives.
“The big toss play, we just screwed it up, I think we had three guys there that could make the play,” Carroll said after the game. “It winds up being a 60-yard touchdown play. That was a backbreaking play in the game. And then we needed to respond, and we didn’t have it to respond, and so they get up by a couple scores, and that plays into their hands. They know how to play with a lead like that, and they did a nice job. Third down was atrocious for us today on both sides of the football. We couldn’t convert and we couldn’t stop them to get out of there.”
Flip it to offense, and Greg Olson’s initial outing as interim offensive coordinator was more of the same from Las Vegas. Quarterback Geno Smith was under duress constantly and held on to the ball too long going 18 of 23 for 165 yards with two touchdown throws, one interception (tied for league lead at 14 total), and absorbing five sacks. The Raiders went 2 of 8 on third downs and had the ball for 24:12 compared to the Chargers’ 35:48 time of possession.
As our Bill Williamson noted, Pete Carroll has no one to blame for another big Las Vegas Raiders defeat but himself. I don’t see how the Raiders run it back with Pete Carroll next season. Looks like another factory reset is on tap for the Silver & Black. But then again, with Mark Davis as owner … I’ll just take a cue from him: Smarten Up, right?
Let’s hit the quick slants:
—Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is a phenomenal young player. The second-year Georgia product made a ridiculous fourth-quarter one-handed touchdown grab on a throw where Smith appeared to be simply throwing the ball away. The 22-year-old Bowers finished with a game-high 63 yards and two touchdown grabs on four receptions. He ensured Las Vegas went 2-for-2 in the red zone.
—Chinn paced the Raiders defense with 17 total tackles (eight solo), including the hit on Herbert that left the Bolts signal caller with a broken left hand. White finished with 11 total tackles (five solo) while Crosby was his usual havoc-creating self with nine total tackles, two sacks, and four stops for loss.
—Chargers linebackers Denzel Perryman (former Raider) and Tuli Tuipulotu led L.A. with seven total tackles. Tuipulotu led the Bolts with two sacks and four tackles for loss. Linebacker Bud Dupree notched a sack while Khalil Mack, Daiyan Henley, and Da’Shawn Hand each shared half a sack.
—Raiders third-round rookie Caleb Rogers drew the start at right guard. But the 24-year-old was benched with 25-year-old Atonio Mafi replacing him. As the game progressed, Las Vegas decided to move Mafi (a fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots) to the bench and Rogers back in the starting lineup. With how this season has gone, Carroll might as well do the same at the quarterback position.
—Las Vegas cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly snagged a timely second-quarter interception in the red zone. That stymied the Chargers’ 14-play, 91-yard drive, although Kelly stepped out at the two-yard line after the pick. Just two plays later, Tony Jefferson made an incredible interception of his own as a pass clanged off the hands of Raiders rookie receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
Quote of Note:
“I thought Olly did a tremendous job with a weeks’ notice of getting guys prepared, putting together a game plan. No one knows how hard it is to step into that role when you haven’t been all season. To have to speak new terminology, to try to get players involved in the game, things that obviously he’s done before but I thought he did a great job. I’m really appreciative of Coach Olly for that.”
—Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith on interim offensive coordinator Greg Olson stepping in to call plays after the team fired former offensive coordinator Chip Kelly last Sunday.
Up Next:
The second go-around with AFC West foes continues for the Raiders as they play host to the Denver Broncos next Sunday. Denver comes off a Sunday night thriller of a win at the Washington Commanders, 27-26 in overtime. The Broncos defense came up big as Nik Bonitto swatted a pass that was a would-be walk-in two-point conversion for the Commanders. At 10-2 overall and tied atop the AFC as a whole, Denver has won nine games in a row heading into the Week 14 clash at Las Vegas.
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