Hondo’s Mailbag: Raiders Fans Demand Answers on Struggling OL

HENDERSON, Nev.—The Las Vegas Raiders (3-4) head to Gotham this weekend to take on the New York Jets (2-5) on Sunday.

The Silver and Black are headed back East for another 10 AM PT kickoff, and they will face their starting QB from last season, Geno Smith.

But before they get on the airplane and head out, they have a tough week of practice and some tough issues that must be addressed.

Kirk Cousins currently leads the NFL in touchdown passes with 16, and nearly 1,900 passing yards is good for third. Still, the Raiders don’t have a running game, and their offensive line is, at best, suspect.

Raider Nation Sounds Off

The fan base understands exactly what is going on with this Raiders rebuild that is currently underway, and because of the 3-0 hot start, they want more.

The NFL trade deadline is looming, and a win will certainly impact the Raiders' moves. Additionally, a loss would, as well as some around the league feel, mean GM John Spytek has a lot to consider if the Raiders lose the next two games before the deadline.

I asked you all on my social media X account to tell me what you are looking to see most besides the win, and you didn’t disappoint.

IOL Needs to Show Up

Be able to run the ball. Our interior O-line has been ass all year...
— Killmore Slim (@KillmoreSlim) October 27, 2026

The guard's play over the last three weeks hasn't been good, and last week was terrible. I asked Klint Kubiak on Monday about G Bryve Cabeldue and rookie OL Trey Zuhn III getting the chance to earn reps on Sunday, and his answer was direct and clear, Yes.”

That is good news. This is a rebuilding year, but the Raiders need to foster competition as best they can to create an even bigger point of emphasis and competition.

I have lost zero faith in C Tyler Linderbaum, who has had only truly bad games, but has had nearly zero help on his right and left.

Trey Zuhn lll | Darrell Craig Harris, On SI

The Kubiak system is rooted in, and finds it foundational, strength in running the ball; you can’t and won’t with guard play as bad as it has been this year.

Come on Defense

Someone to tackle, someone not named Maxx to put pressure from the D line, the destruction of this vanilla wafer offense, and letting Washington Jr. carry the damn ball.
— Evidence of Absence (@malikjaru) October 27, 2026

I am a little surprised that there isn’t more consternation about the defense. The entire time I have covered the Silver and Black, the entirety of their time in Las Vegas, it has been stop Maxx Crosby and stop the Raiders' defense.

The Raiders have spent countless millions on high-priced free agents and even rookies, and no one has been able to do it except Malcolm Koonce for half a season in 2023.

The Raiders' defensive coaches have to do better, and many players have been pathetic in the tackle box.

These men are professionals, and sloppy technique reflects on them; the CBA limits practice, and even the physicality of practice, and that had a tremendous impact on the game.

There are many reasons things have gone wrong this year, and many are legitimate. Still, the poor tackling should embarrass all of them as highly paid professionals who have done it consistently, and they've done it several times.

Geno Being Geno?

For Gino to have 2 int. If it could be on the first pass of the game, like against Chargers last year, that would be awesome.
Not too much right?
— BoPe999 (@bventil) October 28, 2026

I understand Raider Nation’s bitterness towards Geno Smith because last year was a disaster. I can also tell you that Geno wasn’t the number one reason for the failure in 2025, and isn’t even close to the top of the list.

While I think he is a good QB, he is not elite, and no one knows this defense better than how to bait him into mistakes; they saw it every day in practice last year.

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

While I think he will be highly motivated to punish the Raiders, every player left from last year’s team knows that the Raiders didn’t lose solely because of Geno.

That said, if the Raiders win, I would expect Geno to have a hand in it; that is the track record of his losses in this league. I like Geno, have never hidden it, and while I think his behavior toward the Raiders fans was unacceptable and warranted punishment from the team, it doesn’t change the fact that two news teams are facing off on Sunday.

Time to Fight

Some fight in all three phases. Two of the last three games there was practically no fight. Dominated in those games.
— Dr. Gregory Coffin (@DrunkenAnarchi1) October 27, 2026

Good call, Doc. I can tell you I have been impressed by this team's lack of quit, but I've also been shocked by its lack of fight.

Some of these guys' play has been terrible on national TV. I know these men; while they certainly don’t play for free, they're not men who don’t care.

At some time, you have to come back punching and fight back. I want to see some gut fighters in these guys. The raw emotion that fuels this game.

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