ClutchPoints
The Las Vegas Raiders entered Week 3 seeking a statement win and instead walked off the field humiliated. Facing a Washington Commanders team without its starting quarterback or featured running back, the Raiders delivered their worst performance of the young season. It was a collapse that revealed systemic flaws across coaching, execution, and discipline. For a team hoping to contend in the AFC West, the 41-24 defeat was a sobering reality check.
The Raiders were utterly outclassed. With backup quarterback Marcus Mariota leading the way, Washington leaned on a punishing ground game and timely passing. He accounted for two touchdowns. One was through the air and another on the ground. Meanwhile, special teams delivered a backbreaker with Jaylin Lane’s 90-yard punt return for a score.
Las Vegas looked overmatched in every phase. The offensive line collapsed, giving up five sacks on Geno Smith. The defense had no answers as Washington piled up 201 rushing yards on 32 carries. Even Tre Tucker’s three-touchdown performance offered little consolation. All of his scores came after the outcome was essentially decided. The Commanders cruised to a dominant victory, leaving the Raiders reeling and searching for solutions.
Here we’ll try to look at and discuss why the Las Vegas Raiders are still AFC West basement-dwellers after no-show vs. Commanders.
On paper, 24 points with no turnovers looks like progress. However, anyone who watched Sunday’s game knows the Raiders’ offense remains broken. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has yet to adjust to the offensive line’s deficiencies, and his situational play-calling continues to baffle. Using Zamir White and Dylan Laube in short-yardage spots instead of Ashton Jeanty was questionable at best. Also, Smith spent much of the afternoon under siege because protections never seemed to improve.
The Raiders actually outgained Washington through the air. That’s with Smith completing 19 of 29 passes for 289 yards, including three touchdown strikes to Tucker. Still, the big picture tells a different story. The Raiders offense went scoreless when the game was within reach and repeatedly stalled under pressure. Balance is a word Pete Carroll keeps preaching. That said, with Jeanty averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and no consistent push up front, this offense can’t sustain drives. Without a clear strategy from Kelly, the Raiders remain predictable and limited.
If the offense was uninspiring, the defense was downright embarrassing. Everyone in the stadium knew Washington would lean on the run. The Raiders, though, acted like they hadn’t prepared for it. The Commanders gashed them for over 200 rushing yards, repeatedly breaking tackles and exploiting wide-open lanes.
The lack of communication was glaring. Missed assignments and poor angles turned routine plays into chunk gains. Meanwhile, Mariota comfortably managed the game without needing to force throws. The journeyman backup controlled the tempo as if he were a franchise starter. When your defense looks unprepared against a predictable game plan, that points directly to coaching. Graham’s...
