The Real Reason Pete Carroll Still Believes in Geno Smith

The Las Vegas Raiders are once again having a season they want to forget. They are 2-8 for the second straight season and are not looking like the team they wanted to be by improving this season.

The Raiders have not had a great showing on offense for most of the season. The defense outside of star defensive end Maxx Crosby has been a shell of itself. The moves the Silver and Black made all offseason have not panned out like they hoped.

One of those moves was to trade for veteran quarterback Geno Smith. Then the Raiders gave him an extension. Smith has simply not been good for most of the season and has struggled to find his footing in Las Vegas. Smith has more interceptions than touchdowns. That is one thing that has hurt the Raiders this season. The offense has been turning over the ball, and when you cannot afford that, it becomes a huge problem when you are trying to win games.

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

Smith has played all the games this season, the offense does not have a rhythm, and in the last game, head coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly put the ball in Geno's hands for most of the game. That did not work and the chips keep falling in a bad way for Smith and the Raiders this season.

Carroll Still Confidence in Smith

With everything that has gone wrong for Smith this season, Carroll is still high on confidence for his quarterback. Carroll is all about winning and does not know what other way to coach, and he is sticking with Smith.

Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) throws downfield against the Dallas Cowboys during the first half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"I thought Geno [Smith] played really well for the most part on Monday Night, and he was under pressure the entire time in the drop back game. He had to move," said Pete Carroll. "It wasn't perfect, he did jam a ball in there on the interception that got tipped that he could have checked it down. We're really trying to take advantage of the check downs and get the ball to Ashton [Jeanty] as much as we could."

"And there was a chance there for a 10-yard play, probably, but he thought he saw it, thought he could get it in there, and linebacker got hand on the ball. But he threw a great ball to Tre [Tucker] on the seam route, down in the goal line, back line of the end zone, that the two of them needed just hook it up. He threw back shoulder to him on a seam route that was a beautiful thought and throw and Tre didn't quite get there. It's something we just need to keep working on."

"But I continue to really believe in him. I have no hesitation in telling you that. He's an incredible player, and he's busting his tail, and he's working really hard at it. He has not backed off one step throughout the process, and so we're counting on that he's going to keep working it, and he'll come through for us. We just got to help out more, got to protect him better."

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