Raiders Under Fire: The Real Story Behind Monday Night vs. Cowboys

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) are heading into a Monday Night Football tilt versus the Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) with enormous pressure, but it might not be on the people you would assume.

To the organization's credit, people are looking intently in the mirror to identify issues within this team, and while that is admirable, the franchise has a motto of “Just Win, Baby,” and that is all the iconic fan base cares about after decades of underwhelming performance.

You can watch the entire podcast below:

Where is the Real Pressure?

The players aren’t under the microscope; the Silver and Black issues are larger than that. The reasoning is simple.

Las Vegas Raiders Pete Carroll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

So who should be in the spotlight?

The defense has performed admirably under the leadership of Patrick Graham; he and his players aren’t.

· The special team’s coordinator has been fired, so that side of the ball doesn’t carry the bulk anymore; you can’t rely on someone given the time of one week to repair what took months to break down.

· Chip Kelly, Pete Carroll, John Spytek, and Tom Brady are the ones who have to get the offense rolling. They traded for a $60 million quarterback, selected a running back at No. 6 overall in the NFL Draft, and the offense is worse. After a mini-bye, they have to demonstrate tangibly some improvement. The Raiders brain trust are the real story on Monday night, and demonstrating they can give life, and hope to a dejected fan base.

Las Vegas Raiders OC Chip Kelly | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Signs of a Fractured Locker Room

Make no mistake that in all of my years of covering sports, there are tell-tale signs of a fractured locker room. That is not the case with the 2025 Las Vegas Raiders. Here are the three big signs that a team has lost its locker room:

1. Player and coaching effort begin to wane. You can point out players who are not performing well on this team, for sure. But you can’t point to one player who is lacking effort, even those who are not performing well.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Aidan O'Connell | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

2. The second, and perhaps the most significant sign of a divided locker room, and one that fans wouldn’t see immediately, is what is being spoken off the record. There are always conversations off the record, but in a divided locker room, they turn into off-the-record discussions about why others are to blame.

3. The third way to judge a lost or fractured locker room may at first seem to contradict No. 1, but let me explain—selfish effort. Guys may put in enormous effort, but it is focused on personal stats and personal incentives rather than what's good for the team.

Let’s Give Them Something to Talk About

Pete Carroll spoke about the state of the organization, its many difficulties, and addressed a myriad of those issues.

Head Coach Pete Carroll

Q: What has your working relationship been like with Chip Kelly and being on the same page in terms of what the both of you want to do on offense?

Head Coach Pete Carroll: "We've been working together the whole time, and Chip [Kelly] has a world of experience that I've counted on throughout, and we're always working to continue to grow together as much as we can and be representative. We've been disappointed two of the last three weeks with what we've done. We had a fantastic week in between that. So, we're trying to get it right."

Q: In terms of right guard, is Alex Cappa slotted right into Jackson Powers-Johnson's spot, or is there a competition this week?

Coach Carroll: "Well, we know we can do that because Alex [Cappa] has played for us, and we know we can do that. We are going to have guys competing at the spot. We're trying to give guys an opportunity to show what they can do, make sure we're making a good decision. We feel secure that Alex could play that."

Q: What has Caleb Rogers looked like this week in preparation?

Las Vegas Raiders IOL Caleb Rogers | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Coach Carroll: "I haven't seen the film yet. Really, I mean, we've had one practice that was not a padded practice. After today, I'll have a better feel. Sorry."

Q: Is there any extra significance to a matchup when it is a franchise like the Cowboys and it is a Monday night game?

Oct 26, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones looks on before the game against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Coach Carroll: "Well, there's something special about Monday night regardless of who you're playing. That's the truth. It's prime time and all that. Everybody grew up watching that and enjoying the heck out of that and picturing themselves someday being part of that. The Cowboys have always had a special thing about them. Jerry Jones and the family did a fantastic job of raising this franchise to the level that they're at, and they're a tremendous international brand. We are too. And so, it's a good matchup in that regard, and hopefully we can play a really good football game."

Q: You guys are playing two rookie wide receivers pretty extensively now. What are some of the challenges of that, and how would you say that those two have responded?

Las Vegas Raiders WR Jack Bech | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Coach Carroll: "There are challenges to that, and it's the smallest issues when they come up. It's not like, 'Can you run an out route and catch the football?' There's so many other things about blocking and positioning and getting other guys open and all of the complimentary things that go along, as well as special teams. And so, those guys are growing. They're getting a lot of playtime, they're getting a lot of opportunities, and it's all going to pay off. Both our young guys have a good head on their shoulders, and they learn well, and they're figuring it out. But it's just growing pains, and we have to get through it."

Q: Do you look at that as an investment that eventually pays off?

Las Vegas Raiders WR Dont'e Thornton | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Coach Carroll: "With all young guys, to me, and you guys have heard me say this, that we want to play them early and want to see where they are and try to get them to the midpoint of the season, where they have some background and experience, where they can play like regulars. And so, I mean, we're kind of there. This is where we turn the corner for the second half, and I've already mentioned that to those guys, that this is where we count on them to come through and be cleaner with their assignments and sharper and just on it better than they've been earlier. And hopefully, that's what we'll see down the stretch."

Las Vegas Raiders RB Ashton Jeanty | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

Never again miss one major story related to your beloved Silver and Black when you sign up for our 100% FREE newsletter that comes straight to your email with the latest news. Not only is it 100% FREE, but we also don’t spam you or sell your information. SIGN UP HERE NOW.

We'd appreciate it if you would follow us on X and IG , and please visit our Facebook page,