The Las Vegas Raiders' offense has been shockingly bad during the 2025 NFL season, with both the passing game and rushing attack equally not pulling their weight. The offensive line hasn't helped with this equation, but Geno Smith has had plenty of his own issues.
Yes, his interception numbers are frequently at the top of the league, and he takes more sacks than any other NFL quarterback not named Cam Ward. But his worst attribute has been that Smith has often missed wide-open receivers for potentially game-changing plays.
Las Vegas' offense has scored 20 or fewer points in nine of its 12 games, including each of its past four outings, and there have been a lot of points left on the field. Their chance of bouncing back against an elite Denver Broncos defense in Week 14 hinges on one aspect of the passing game.
Raiders need Geno Smith and Tre Tucker to be on same page in Week 14
Smith has struggled to get Tre Tucker involved in recent weeks despite the wide receiver finding himself wide open on several big plays. It has led to his production dipping over the past six weeks, compared to the first six weeks of the season, when he had nearly twice as many yards.
The offense's success against the Broncos will likely depend on Smith's ability to connect downfield with the third-year wideout. Geno Smith addressed the inability to do that recently during Wednesday's press conference.
"We want to hit our shots, whether it's Tre or whoever else is downfield," Smith said. "We want to hit our shots, and we've definitely got to capitalize on those when we get chances."
Tucker also weighed in when he spoke to Vegas Sports Today in the locker room on Wednesday ahead of the AFC West bout.
"(Capitalizing on plays downfield) is the goal, ultimately. The way I look at it is just keep running my routes, keep winning, the ball will find you," Tucker said. "That's the most exciting part, obviously, what it does, and it can change the score and do big things."
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For Las Vegas to have success against an incredible Broncos defense in Week 14, the offense will need to take advantage of its opportunities and capitalize on big plays. The home run play has not even been a threat in recent weeks, and that needs to change on Sunday.
It will be tough, however, as Denver's defense, which shut down the Raiders' offense in Week 10 even without Pat Surtain II, will have the superstar cornerback in the lineup. Tucker praised the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year in the same media availability.
"Obviously, they've got Pat Surtain. I mean, I think he's one of the best in the league, if not the best in the league," Tucker said. "He's very good, and it allows them to do a lot of things differently because of how good he is. So, for us, it's a great matchup. We didn't get to play against him the first game."
It has been a tale of two halves for Tucker, as he appeared well on his way to a 1,000-yard season over the first six weeks, recording 24 catches for 356 yards and four touchdowns. His production has dipped over the past six weeks, however, catching just 20 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown.
While it has been apparent to everyone that the offense needs Tucker to be more involved, particularly after trading Jakobi Meyers, that has just not been the case. Hopefully, Week 14 will see the wide receiver get back on track, and he and Smith can connect on some deep shots.