The Las Vegas Raiders are starting to unravel. The Week 12 matchup against the Cleveland Browns was the perfect way for the team to get back into the win column.
The Browns have played just as poorly as the Raiders this season, and they had a rookie quarterback making his first start. The Raiders were at home, but that turned out not to be much of an advantage, especially for quarterback Geno Smith.
Fans are completely fed up with Smith. He was booed all day, including during his introduction before the start of the game. He’s starting to get frustrated and let his emotions get the better of him. After the loss, Smith was caught flipping his middle finger at fans in the Allegiant Stadium crowd.
The Raiders caught wind of the video and had to put out a statement condemning Smith’s behavior.
“The Raiders are aware of an obscene gesture made by Geno Smith towards fans following Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium,” the team said in a statement, via The Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We are disappointed in his actions and have discussed the incident with Geno. We hold the Raider Nation in the highest regard and take this matter seriously.”
Could Smith Face Punishment?
It’s one thing for a player to flip off opposing fans, but it’s another thing entirely when he’s flipping off his team’s fans. It remains to be seen if Smith will face ramifications from the Raiders, but the NFL might also get involved.
Last season, Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was fined over $10,128 for flipping off fans during a game. Earlier this season, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was fined $250,000 for doing the same thing.
Owners are held to a higher standard, so Smith shouldn’t expect that hefty a fine. At the same time, the Raiders cannot be happy that their starting quarterback is using obscene gestures with their own fans. The team could decide to hit Smith with a harsher punishment.
Smith Talks Loss to Browns
Smith is likely wishing now that he had accepted a contract extension with the Seattle Seahawks. While he’s played very poorly, the Raiders have been a mess for a long time. It’s going to take a lot more than an average 35-year-old quarterback to turn this franchise around.
He was sacked 10 times against the Browns, but he wanted to take the blame for the loss.
“It’s really on me. I got to make better plays, find a way,” Smith said after the game.
The Raiders aren’t going to the playoffs this year, so there’s not a lot to play for, but Smith spoke about where the team can go from here.
“We just want to continue to get better each and every week, and find ways to get better as a team, get better as an offense,” Smith said. “We have to score more points than we score.”
Perhaps the firing of offensive coordinator Chip Kelly will awaken the offense, but the Raiders might want to consider making a change at quarterback soon.
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