That was tough to stomach. Of all the rough outings the Las Vegas Raiders have had this season, this one might top the list. It got so bad the Kansas City Chiefs sent in backup—and former Raiders starter—Gardner Minshew by the third quarter. Yikes. Let’s break it down.
The Raiders have lost all faith in Geno Smith…
After weeks of trending in this direction, Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly rolled out his most conservative game plan yet. Earlier in the season, the offense leaned on Geno Smith to push the ball downfield. Now, it’s a steady diet of screens, checkdowns, and runs—the kind of approach usually reserved for a rookie, not a veteran in his 30s.
Unfortunately, Smith’s play has made that shift necessary. He only looks comfortable when the reads are predetermined. Remember, when the Raiders traded for Smith and handed him a lucrative deal, he was supposed to be the missing piece to elevate this offense. Seven games in, it looks more like another offseason move that’s set the team back.
The Raiders have sabotaged their own defense…
Last season, the Raiders’ defense wasn’t great—but it was competent enough to keep games close, even while battling injuries. Then coach Pete Carroll and general manager John Spytek arrived and decided to overhaul nearly the entire unit.
The result? One of the slowest, least physical defenses in football. The Raiders can’t tackle, can’t force turnovers, and look lost more often than not. And it’s not just the newcomers struggling. Scheme changes have pushed Isaiah Pola-Mao into deeper coverage and even dropped Maxx Crosby into coverage—moves that have dulled the impact of two of the team’s best defenders.
The Raiders’ issues on both sides of the ball ultimately trace back to one individual.
It’s time to fire Pete Carroll…
This may sound premature, but it’s getting increasingly difficult to make a case for keeping Carroll. No one expected him to turn the Raiders into contenders overnight, but his hiring was supposed to signal progress. Instead, the team has regressed across the board—especially on defense and at quarterback, the two areas most directly under Carroll’s influence.
Nearly halfway through the season, things aren’t getting any better. Las Vegas keeps getting blown out, showing little fight or improvement—a stark contrast to Carroll’s Seattle days, when even outmatched teams played with grit and respectability.
Everyone wants stability after years of turnover, but there’s little justification for patience at this point. This would mark the Raiders’ fourth coaching change of the decade, yet the results clearly don’t warrant sticking it out.
At best, you could argue Carroll is overseeing the “tear-down” phase of a long rebuild. But that’s a generous view—one that would have him coaching into his late 70s before seeing results. The Raiders need to face reality: this experiment isn’t working. It’s time to move on.
Related: The Raiders Weren’t Able To Pull It Off
*Top Photo: Official Raiders Website