What the Raiders Must Fix to End Their Slide

The Las Vegas Raiders are floundering and need help to get back to being a competitive team. What can they do to stop their decline?

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) passes the ball against the Kansas City Chiefs during the third quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

At 2 - 5, the Las Vegas Raiders' record makes them one of the bottom ten teams in the NFL, and in their game against the Kansas City Chiefs, they sure played like one. They got dominated rarely, not because the outcome wasn't expected, but because they didn't put up a shred of a fight.

Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, Tre Tucker, and Michael Mayer are all names of professional football players on the Raiders roster who get paid for their offensive skill, and yet, the Raiders' lack of any points in their 31 - 0 blowout loss is indicative of how utterly destroyed they were on the road.

PFF Power Rankings

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws a pass during the second half against the Kansas City Chiefs at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Thomas Valentine is a sports writer for Pro Football Focus, and after each team played in week 7, he updated his power rankings based on how they performed. The Raiders' big loss pushes them down the power rankings, but just by one spot.

"Big questions need to be asked within the Raiders’ building during their Week 8 bye. With Pete Carroll and Geno Smith, Las Vegas was expected to compete hard and challenge for a wild-card spot. Instead, the team is 2-5, and was just embarrassed 31-0 by the Chiefs in Week 7. We’re looking at an offense that’s currently 30th in EPA per play, easily one of the worst in the NFL. Things need to change", said Valentine.

Sep 21, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett (15) warms up before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

Change needs to happen in the Raiders, not even to salvage their season, but to give Raider Nation something to root for. At the moment, they have a strong argument to be backing the worst team in the NFL, and it's so frustrating because it doesn't need to be this way.

I understand the Raiders were without Jakobi Meyers or Brock Bowers, so their pass game was limited, but there were no injuries to their starting offensive line. And yet, Jeanty only touched the ball six times

Oct 19, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands the ball to Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second quarter of the game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

I don't think the change needs to end at a quarterback shift. This offense is fundamentally broken, and that starts at the top. Chip Kelly hasn't been an impressive hire, and if the Raiders' offense continues to sink, who else will be to blame but their offensive coordinator?

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