ClutchPoints
The Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 season reached its inevitable conclusion on Sunday as they lost 31-14 to division rival Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. dropping their record to 2-10. With victories by both the Houston Texans and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Raiders are mathematically out of playoff contention, bringing a disappointing first year under head coach Pete Carroll to a close.
The Week 13 loss was Las Vegas’ sixth consecutive loss overall and 10th straight against AFC West opponents. The Raiders failed to find a consistent offensive groove despite new offensive coordinator Greg Olson taking over play-calling duties after Chip Kelly’s firing.
The Chargers’ pass rush overpowered quarterback Geno Smith five times, with Tuli Tuipulotu contributing two sacks to reach career totals nine and ten, adding to a streak of 20 sacks over his last three games. Smith and the offensive line, led by Brenden Carroll, were unable to maintain protection, contributing to Las Vegas’ paltry 2-of-8 conversion rate on third downs (25%), while Los Angeles converted 12-of-17 (70.6%) and dominated the ground game 192-31.
The offensive line, reshuffled due to Jordan Meredith being inactive, saw Alex Cappa move to center, and Caleb Rogers share snaps at right guard with practice squad elevation Atonio Mafi. The makeshift line failed to protect Smith, leaving the quarterback without a clean pocket for much of the game.
The Raiders’ ground game was similarly ineffective, with running back Ashton Jeanty limited to 2.1 yards per carry on 15 attempts. Meanwhile, the Chargers rushed for 192 yards, led by Kimani Vidal’s career-high 126-yard, 59-yard touchdown performance and Jaret Patterson’s 54 yards with a score.
In an otherwise disappointing game, tight end Brock Bowers was one of the bright spots, recording four receptions for 63 yards and two touchdowns, including a remarkable one-handed grab late in the fourth quarter. The tight end’s dynamic showing put Olson’s tight end-first approach on display while offering a rare shot of energy to a team ranked 31st in scoring offense entering the game.
Defensively, Las Vegas managed a handful of impactful plays, including Kyu Blu Kelly’s interception and Tony Jefferson’s red-zone pick, but left a lot to be desired, with 18 missed tackles.
The Chargers capitalized on the defensive lapses, converting 70.6 percent of third downs and dominating time of possession by over 11 minutes. Los Angeles quarterback Justin Herbert, despite a left-hand injury early in the game, completed 75 percent of his passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns.
After entering the season with high expectations with a decorated coaching career, including two Super Bowl appearances and multiple college championships, Carroll now faces mounting questions about the future of his team.
With the playoffs out of reach, the Raiders will play their last five games for pride alone.
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