Silver And Black Pride
It’s the same thing every week.
And Pete Carroll is running out of people to blame.
Here’s a hint, Pete, it’s all on you.
Sunday, Carroll’s Las Vegas Raiders hit the field and it was the same old crap — another uncompetitive defeat as they lost 31-14 at the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders are 2-10.
There was some renewed hope for the Raiders, who haven’t won since Week 6, because they fired offensive coordinator Chip Kelly last week and named quarterback coach Greg Olson the interim offensive coordinator. But it was the same old thing as the Raiders, who came into the game averaging just 15 points, couldn’t move the ball consistently.
The offensive line woes continued as the Geno Smith was sacked five times and the Raiders ran for just 31 yards. Kelly wasn’t good in Las Vegas at all, but it wasn’t all on him. it’s the same thing with special teams coach Tom McMahon, who Carroll fired after Week 10.
Carroll can’t blame any scapegoats after this one. it’s on him.
The Raiders have allowed 46 sacks this season and 25 in the past four games. Plus, they haven’t run for 75 yards in a game in the past four games, either. The offense is stuck, no matter who is calling the plays.
The Raiders are arguably worse than they were under Antonio Pierce, who was fired after one season in which the Raiders went 4-13 and were beaten by double digits nine times.
The Raiders have lost 10 straight AFC West dating back to the start of last season. It is the longest current division streak in the NFL. The Raiders are now 1-7 at SoFi Stadium and 0-7 with fans in the stands. Oh, and they have been eliminated from the playoff contention.
Carroll talked a lot before the season about winning 10-plus games often in his career. Well, he has lost double-digit games in his first season with the Raiders, who haven’t won six Week 6. The Raiders have been beaten by double digits seven times and three straight times. They have allowed 30 plus points six times.
It’s fair to wonder if this team will win another game this season and it’s also fair to wonder how the Raiders can justify bringing Carroll back in 2026.
Here are some of the key aspects of the game:
Run game tells big story:
The Chargers had 192 yards on the ground and the Raiders had just 31, against a defense was has been vulnerable against the run. That dominance by Los Angeles on the ground told the story of this game. Once again, Las Vegas defense struggled to tackle and finish plays.
Third-down defense is awful:
The Raiders’ couldn’t get the Chargers off the field, even with quarterback Justin Herbert playing most of the game with a broken left (non-throwing) hand that will require surgery Monday. The Chargers converted their first six third-down attempts and were 12 of 17 on third down. The Raiders...
