Where the Raiders Stand Coming Out of the Bye Week

No matter how productive their Bye Week was, the Las Vegas Raiders still have a long way to go.

Oct 12, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll reacts on the sidelines during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders still have time to turn things around after their 2-5 start to the season.

Ranking the Raiders

The Raiders entered their Bye Week reeling, having lost four of their past five games, including and ugly loss to the Kansas City Chiefs the last time they took the field. Eric Edholm of NFL.com recently ranked the Raiders as the 26th-best team in the league, which may be a bit high.

"The Raiders have scored 26 points in their last 12 quarters and are coming off one of the worst offensive showings of the NFL season against the Chiefs prior to the bye. Pete Carroll looked completely spooked after that one, with his first season in Vegas currently going completely sideways," Edholm said.

"It’s clear that the Raiders haven’t been the same since Brock Bowers got hurt, although it’s fair to wonder how much longer Geno Smith will have as the starter. He was pulled late against the Chiefs for, who might get a longer look if Smith continues struggling. This trade deadline also could be an active one for the Raiders now that they’re pretty much out of contention. A lot of changes could be coming."

Heading into the Bye Week, Carroll noted that several players could see more playing time during the second half of the season. The Raiders must change something up.

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

“We'll see. The competition is on. And we're not through thinking that way about opportunities for guys. I thought it was right to get G [Geno Smith] out, and Kenny [Pickett] needs to get some snaps. You know, right off the bat, he screws up and missed the freaking first snap. He just needs some playtime in case we need to call on him, so he feels comfortable jumping in,” Carroll said.

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

“Darien [Porter], I'm always looking for chances to get him out there and get him playing. So, that's good, and we'll continue to do that. There are guys up front on the offensive line and on the defensive line that we would love to give some playtime to. We stuck a couple guys in there just to get a couple snaps in at the end. They just need to be on the field, so we're going to continue to push that way.”

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