The Las Vegas Raiders seemed to have a great shot to get back on track in Week 3, as they were taking on a Washington Commanders team that was without its starting quarterback, Jayden Daniels. However, they fell flat on their face, and afterwards, it was clear that head coach Pete Carroll was not happy with his team’s performance.
There wasn’t much that went right for the Raiders in this game, as they struggled in pretty much every facet of the game. On offense, the team’s offensive line once again got run ragged, and Carroll kept it real when discussing this unit after getting blown out by a Commanders team that was led by their backup quarterback, Marcus Mariota.
Pete Carroll Doesn’t Hold Back on Raiders’ Offensive Line
After picking up a season-opening victory over the New England Patriots, there was reason to believe that the Raiders could exceed expectations in 2025. Over the past two games, though, they have struggled mightily, and the same issues have continually plagued them in each of these games, even their Week 1 win over the Patriots.
Perhaps the biggest concern is the play of the offensive line. Under center, quarterback Geno Smith has already been sacked 12 times through three games, and the ground game has gotten virtually nothing going, as they have averaged below four yards per carry each time they have taken the field. That has made things even more difficult for Smith when he drops back to pass.
Carroll has been around for quite some time, and he knows that the Raiders need better play from their offensive line if they are going to win games. However, he also believes that the play selection needs to be better, as he thinks Las Vegas is leaning too much on its aerial attack on offense currently.
“We gotta balance out what we’re doing so we can mix better,” Carroll said when speaking to reporters after the game. “We didn’t run the football at all early, and then when we did, we drove the football, and we made our scores … We didn’t start out well at all. We came out of the shoots looking hurt. Until we got going, you couldn’t see much.”
Raiders Quickly Turn Attention to Week 4 Meeting with Bears
GettyLas Vegas Raiders QB Geno Smith.
Las Vegas used the No. 6 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on running back Ashton Jeanty, but they haven’t been able to get him going early in the season. Part of that is due to the offensive line struggling to open holes for him, but the Raiders also aren’t really giving their ground game a shot to get into a rhythm. That’s resulting in Smith throwing more frequently, and with opposing defenses banking on Las Vegas passing the ball, they are dialing up more and more blitzes.
Things move fast in the NFL, and Las Vegas is going to have to find a fix to their offensive line woes quickly, because their next game is right around the corner. The Raiders will be back in action in Week 4 with a matchup against the Chicago Bears that suddenly looks more difficult than it did just 24 hours ago. Kickoff for this game is scheduled for 4:25 p.m. ET, and Las Vegas will look to find its way back in the win column after a couple of tough losses.
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