Plenty to Clean Up: Raiders Enter Week 4 with Major Questions

The Las Vegas Raiders' past two performances have left much to be desired in essentially every facet of the game.

Raiders Must Improve

The Raiders entered Week 3 hoping for a bounce-back performance following their loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, they would only get more of the same. Following Sunday's loss to the Commanders, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith sounded off on the Raiders' early-season troubles.

“Without watching the film, I feel like we just didn’t do enough in any phase of the game—offense, defense, special teams. I feel like we gave them too much. We were tied up early on, and there was a chance for us to really take control of the game, but we let it get away from us,” Smith said.

“In the second half, coming out and not getting points, then they go and get points, made it a two-score game, and from there it kind of got away from us. I feel like there’s not one part of our game that we can’t get better at. I think here are a lot of things we could’ve done better today.”

It is clear three weeks into the regular season that the Raiders' offensive line will be the team's downfall if they do not make some sort of change. Las Vegas addressed every other position group on its offense except for its offensive line. It has already come back to haunt them.

Smith has constantly been pressured, hit, hurried, and sacked since the start of the season. Las Vegas' inability to protect Smith has directly led to two consecutive losses and could easily lead to many more.

Although games are won in the trenches and the Raiders' offensive line has been porous, Smith refuses to pass the buck and continues to take accountability for the offense's woes. Things have been far from perfect, but the veteran quarterback knows that is a part of the job.

"Yeah, I mean, it’s football, and it’s going to be like that sometimes. They have a good defense with a lot of talented guys on that side. Hats off to them—they played a great game,” Smith said.

“I felt like we made our plays throughout the game, but it wasn’t consistent enough. That’s why I feel like we sputtered throughout the game. We had some big plays, and then we had some drives that didn’t look right. I put that on me. I put that onus on me. I have to be better for my guys.”

Find us on X (formerly Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and @EZTrez_SI and weigh in on this and more.

While here, check out our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE to discuss this take.