Why It’s Gut-Check Time for Smith and the Raiders’ Offense

The Las Vegas Raiders' offense has a chance to bounce back over the second half of the season.

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Tyquan Lewis (94) brings down Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defeated the Raiders 40-6. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders appear to be a team that is rested and getting healthier as a team, as they prepare to face the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. At 2-5, the Raiders have little room for error, as their schedule will soon get signifiantly tougher.

Las Vegas must beat an improve Jaguars team. Assuming the Raiders make a few more changes, they should at least look like a more competent team even if they do not win.

Ranking This Raiders Player

The Raiders' offense suffered several injuries to some of its best players, which undoubtedly derailed the unit. No player on the Raiders' offense was as impacted by the injuries to Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers, and Kolton Miller as their signal caller.

Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports recently ranked every starting quarterback in the National Football League heading into Week 9. He ranked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith as the 29th-best quarterback in the league.

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

"At this point, what else is coach Pete Carroll supposed to do? Smith is the most polished arm in the Raiders' quarterback room, even if his worst tendencies as a boom-or-bust gunslinger have helped doom an aging Las Vegas roster," Benjamin said.

Following the Bye Week, Smith explained some of the things he noticed while assessing his first seven games with the Raiders during the Raiders' Bye Week. Smith is tied for the most interceptions in the league. Las Vegas' coaching staff hopes Smith turns things around.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

"Some good things and then some things that we have to improve on. Obviously, the main thing is protecting the football, keeping the ball out of the defense's hands and making sure our defense is able to rest on the sideline and not have short fields to play with,” Smith said.

"And then just continuing to be efficient, getting that explosion back that we kind of had to start the season, but also taking what they give us and being efficient, and just overall developing and learning. Again, we're still learning each other, and now it's that point of the season where you start to either get better you get worse, and so we're going to get better as a team, and I'm really, really excited about that."  

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