Why Raiders' Pete Carroll Must Have Honest Expectations

Entering the season, Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll stated 10 wins was his goal this season. Las Vegas' 1-4 start has brought a dose of reality for Carroll and his coaching staff.

Darrell Craig Harris, ON SI

The Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of yet another challenging start to a season, as they are 1-4 and currently on a four-game losing streak. Las Vegas has few answers from week to week, proving just how far they realistically have to go to turn things around.

Las Vegas hoped this season would go differently and hopes to figure things out soon. However, the rest of the season undoubtedly looks bleak at the moment.

Turnarounds Take Time

Las Vegas' new front office made a genuine effort to improve upon last season's roster and results, but it appears it was all for naught.

Following the Raiders' loss to the Indianapolis Colts, Carroll was open and honest. Carroll admitted that the turnaround he has been tasked with overseeing is taking longer than he expected. Several unforeseen things have threatened to derail Las Vegas' season.

Carroll has witnessed many things in his decades around the game of football, but the Raiders are one of a kind.

"Yeah. It's longer than I expected it to be, yeah. It depends on how you put it together and how it comes together, and I feel like there's no doubt that it's going to and we just got to get it right and get away from the big plays that are causing huge impacts in games and get down to playing ball,” Carroll said. 

Sep 21, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; The Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll huddles with the team before the game against the Washington Commanders at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Amber Searls-Imagn Images | Amber Searls-Imagn Images

“The big stats, the normal stats you look at, runs and passes and all that, it doesn't tell the story in this game. It's the big plays that happen in the kicking game and turnover for a touchdown, and those plays are so huge, and so we have to just get out of that kind of ball and get to just playing good football and we're running the ball better than the team that you're playing and you pass the ball better and those things work for you and win for you." 

Carroll's outlook is admirable, as he must consistently exude confidence as the team's leader. Still, the reality of the situation is that the Raiders face a multi-year uphill battle that will likely continue even after Carroll's tenure with the Raiders comes to an end.

The Raiders did not get into this mess overnight, as it took much more than just one season. It will take more than one season to get them out of this as well. It will be up to Carroll to utilize the many tools at his disposal to help make the most of the 2025 season before it is too late.

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