What’s Holding the Raiders Back from Consistent Success

One win. That's what an entire offseason of hype and training has led to for the Las Vegas Raiders. That was supposed to be the year when Raider Nation could enjoy seeing their team every Sunday after years of mediocrity.

Geno Smith, Ashton Jeanty, and Brock Bowers were supposed to begin an offensive revolution in Las Vegas, powered by Chip Kelly's schemes and overseen by Pete Carroll's guidance. All with the guiding hand of Tom Brady, what could go wrong?

Everything’s Gone Wrong

Sep 21, 2025; Landover, Maryland, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll stands on the sidelines against the Washington Commanders during the third quarter at Northwest Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Tyler Sullivan is a sports writer for CBS Sports, and he wrote an article going over how badly the Raiders whiffed on trading for Smith. He's off to a historically bad start to his tenure in the Silver and Black, and the Raiders are presumably regretting their decision.

"With their 40-6 loss at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts, the Raiders have dropped to 1-4 on the season. That record is good for last place in the AFC West, and any thought of even being in the hunt by the time Thanksgiving rolls around is fleeting. Worst of all, they whiffed on the quarterback position with Smith, who has been a turnover machine since landing in Sin City", said Sullivan.

Turnover Machine

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) hands off the ball to running back Ashton Jeanty (2) Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, during a game against the Indianapolis Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Colts defeated the Raiders 40-6. | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Here are the three quarterbacks leading the league in interceptions: Joe Flacco, Jake Browning, and Smith, being atop the list with nine on the year through five games. Flacco is about to play for his second team this season, which will coincidentally send Browning back to the bench after his poor performances.

Both the second and third quarterbacks on the list have been benched, while the league leader in interceptions has been given no trouble for how much he brings the Raiders down. Carroll is still ardently defending him in interviews and insists that Smith still gives them the best chance to win.

Outside of week one, Smith has shown little to no control over the Raiders' offense, and that's concerning for a 12-year veteran. He has no on-field chemistry with any of his receivers; he's forcing ill-advised throws, and worst of all, he's quickly losing trust from his teammates, as well as fans and the coaching staff.

A head coach should never have to ask himself whether or not he should bench his 75 million dollar quarterback for a journeyman like Kenny Pickett. It's unacceptable the way he's been playing, but it's not as if he's getting any help with the play calling from his coaches either.

Historically Bad

Jul 24, 2025; Henderson, NV, USA; Las Vegas Raiders offensive coordinator Chip Kelly during training camp at the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Smith's nine interceptions are tied for the second-most by a Raiders quarterback through his first five games with the franchise since 1970. He joins Josh McCown (2007) and Kerry Collins (2004) in that no-so-illustrious group, who are only looking up to Jay Schroeder (1988). Given that, it's not out of bounds to talk about Smith's tenure with the Raiders getting off to one of the worst starts in the team's history".

Smith now joins a list that no quarterback wants to be on, and he's on pace to have one of the worst starts to a season in the Raiders' franchise history if they continue to give him chances. The Raiders have too much talent on the offensive side of the ball for them to be historically bad to this degree. When will it be the Raiders' time to shine?

What Can They Do?

Sep 28, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) looks on from the sideline during the first quarter against the Chicago Bears at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

It may be hard to look at a silver lining for how disappointing the Raiders have been in 2025, but there's one positive that can come out of this supposed lost season. The NFL is insanely difficult, and there will be times when one's back is against the wall.

On a team that's struggling, who will be the player that steps up and continues to give it their all? Who among the Raiders roster is willing to shine despite all the negativity surrounding this team and make a case for them to be kept around for the future? This unbelievable start is a perfect opportunity for the Raiders to see which players are worth keeping around for their future, and which players they're okay parting ways with.

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