The Las Vegas Raiders have shown some glimpses of a team that is improved over last year’s squad, but they’re sitting with a 1-3 record. A big reason they haven’t been winning has been due to quarterback Geno Smith.
He has two games with three interceptions, both losses, and leads the NFL with seven interceptions. Smith can’t even blame the offensive line for his three interceptions in Week 4, as they didn’t allow a single stat.
After the Raiders’ loss to the Chicago Bears, ESPN dropped them to No. 25 in their power rankings. They also identified every team’s biggest issue on offense, which, for the Raiders, they believe is Smith’s interception issues.
“Smith has thrown three interceptions in a game twice this season, including this past Sunday,” Ryan McFadden wrote. The Raiders finally got the ground game going with rookie running back Ashton Jeanty, but Smith’s turnovers cost them in the end. He has totaled seven picks already this season after finishing with 15 (third most in the league) in all of 2024 with the Seahawks. ‘We lost our chances to score when the offense was out there, more so than what [the Bears] did with it when they took it away from us,’ coach Pete Carroll said.”
Smith Needs to Improve Quickly
It’s one thing if Smith just isn’t effective, but it’s far worse if he’s consistently turning the ball over. The running game came alive in Week 4, so the Raiders don’t need Smith to throw for 300 yards and three touchdowns every week.
What they really can’t live with is him being responsible for multiple turnovers. The Raiders paid him big money in the offseason, but they can’t keep putting him out there if he’s going to keep throwing more interceptions than touchdowns. Las Vegas likely would’ve won in Week 4 if it weren’t for those turnovers, and possibly could’ve put up more of a fight in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Shane Steichen Praises Smith
Things don’t get easy for Smith in Week 5, as the Raiders are on the road against the Indianapolis Colts. The Colts have been very good this season, and the defense has looked much improved.
Plus, head coach Shane Steichen knows Smith well. He was Smith’s quarterbacks coach with the Chargers in 2018. He had a lot of good things to say about the quarterback ahead of the matchup.
“I think it always goes back to that preparation and that work ethic,” Steichen said, via Colts.com. “Even in the offseason when we signed him, he was a 6 a.m. guy studying the playbook. His notebook was just notes galore, going through everything. He studied like he was the starter. And then obviously being around Rivers and being in that room, I think that’s great growth there. And then obviously to see him get his opportunity, I wasn’t surprised by the success that he had in Seattle.”
Beating a very good Colts team on the road would certainly help calm the concerns with Smith right now. If he has another poor performance, the Raiders will at least have to consider drastic changes.
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