The Las Vegas Raiders have been largely inhibited by poor quarterback play during the 2025 NFL season. Geno Smith is still leading the league with 10 interceptions, and he's largely held back the offense from reaching its potential this year.
Unfortunately, he has struggled to take accountability at times, blaming his turnovers on bad luck, trying to throw the ball away or on rookie wide receivers like Dont'e Thornton Jr. But the rubber really met the road in Week 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.
There was nowhere for Smith, or anyone on the team, for that matter, to hide after the 31-0 beatdown they suffered at Arrowhead Stadium. Finally, however, Smith hit the nail on the head and said all the right things during his postgame press conference.
Raiders' Geno Smith was brutally honest in postgame presser after Chiefs loss
Smith didn't make any major mistakes against Kansas City, as he finished with zero turnovers for the first time since Week 3. But he only completed 10-of-16 passes for 67 yards and led the offense to zero points, three first downs and past midfield exactly one time.
When asked about the game and how things got out of hand for him and the offense, Smith owned up to his mistakes and shortcomings for the first time since after the team's Week 2 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
"I don't think it's one particular thing. I think I got to play better. I mean, that's flat out. You know, whether it's drop back, play action, quick game in the run game, got to play better. ... I think we beat ourselves for the most part," Smith said. "There’s something that we didn’t do right to have this outcome. …I point the thumb right at myself and I say 'What do I do to get better? How do I help my teammates get better?'”
It is refreshing to hear the team's quarterback take some accountability and acknowledge that not all, but at least a good portion, of the team's issues stem from his poor play. This sentiment of taking blame and wanting to improve needs to resonate with everyone in the building.
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Smith was also asked about missing key players like Kolton Miller, Jakobi Meyers and Brock Bowers, and how that may have affected the game plan or production. Unlike Carrroll, he didn't downplay their absence, but he took more accountability by saying that he needed to play better.
“They’re great players but again, it’s the NFL, guys have to step up. There’s no excuses to be made," Smith said. "It’s not about the guys who aren’t out there; it’s about the guys who are, and I’m out there, and I gotta make the plays."
Las Vegas is in a bit of a conundrum, as making changes just seven weeks into the campaign is not ideal or likely to fix much, but they cannot continue to make the same mistakes. Smith is approaching these troubles head-on, however.
"There's something that we didn't do right to to have this outcome," Smith said. "There's a lot of soul searching that's got to be done. Every man's got to look within himself."
Luckily, the team (and fan base) has a much-needed bye in Week 8 before they host the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9. Hopefully, with two weeks between games, Smith, Carroll and the team can take a step back, reevaluate and start competing again. If not, it'll be a long few months.