Raiders' Pete Carroll Delivers Tough Truth on Caleb Rogers, OL Woes

LAS VEGAS, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have lost four games in a row. They have also lost eight of their past nine games, with their offense looking largely lifeless over that span of time. The Raiders have fatal flaws that they cannot find a way around and it has derailed the season.

Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll has been the face of the latest failed season for the Silver and Black. While there is still time to turn things around, it would be understandable if few believed it was actually possible to do so. The Raiders need a total reset.

However, until that reset can come, they must make the best of what appears to be one of the worst rosters in the National Football League. Again.

Watch Carroll Discuss Below

Q: When trying to figure out who starts on your offensive line, whether it's Caleb Rogers or Will Putnam, throughout the course of the week, what are the benchmarks you're looking for in terms of in practice to kind of help you guys make that decision on who goes out there?

Head Coach Pete Carroll: "First off, everything is based on competition, meaning that we got to give them a chance and showthem. We look at who they're matching up against, how they handle it, from the pass rush competitions that we do, the communications, so we're looking at it.

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

Just like as we evaluate everything, so we try to mix the rotations so that we see guys against the best competition they could have. And we use all of that information, and then from there, it's subjectively, we make a decision on what we're doing.

“So, I mean, that's not any different than we've ever done in any position. We might specialize a little bit and try to make a big deal about that we're competing and everybody knows. And so, the guys are battling. And so, we try to make it kind out in the open."

Q: Is it disconcerting at all that this far into the season that maybe Caleb Rogers wasn't ready to be dressed out for a game?

Coach Carroll: "No. He's a young player trying to make it, and he's trying to do the best he can. He's been busting his tail for a long time, but he's still learning. It's because he's a draft pick that you guys are bringing this up. And we think he's going to be a good player, and it just hasn't quite got it as far as he needs to at this point. He's trying. He's busting his tail."

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

Q: After getting a chance to see the game film, obviously better than field level, did anything stand out to you maybe after seeing the film that you didn't notice from field level?

Coach Carroll: "Sure, yeah, that's why, really, I hate having to talk about the game before I see the film, and I try not to say too much to the team. I try to not say too much to you guys because I need to get a real good session. So, I went right there last night, and away we go. Gosh, there's so many observations in different directions. Just in general, we went after them, to go after them with the early play passes and to throw the ball in first down, and we did that pretty well, and that was pretty clear.

“And the reason why, I think I said this last night, probably, but we protected well in those situations, and Chip [Kelly] mixed all the calls so to keep the defensive guys from teeing off on us, and when we fell into the drop back opportunities, the longer third down situations and a couple earlier ones, we had trouble holding them out, and we didn't pass pro well against their guys.

It's a really good front, kind of quickly they changed the complexion of their future, I think, with the moves that they made. Those guys were tough, and they made it hard on us. That was just one area. I mean, there's a ton of them."

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