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Ryan McFadden
INDIANAPOLIS — Pete Carroll’s upbeat spirit began to show cracks Sunday afternoon.
The Las Vegas Raiders were handed a 40-6 drubbing by the Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium, marking the team’s fourth straight loss and the largest margin of defeat since its 48-9 loss at Kansas City in 2021.
The Raiders’ performance over the past four weeks has been the opposite of what Carroll hoped for in his first season as the coach. During the first day of training camp in July, he stood proudly in front of reporters and said, “We are going to win a bunch, and I don’t care who hears that.”
Instead, the Raiders are 1-4 — the worst start in Carroll’s head coaching career. Meanwhile, his reunion with Geno Smith hasn’t gone as planned. The starting quarterback threw two interceptions against the Colts’ defense, increasing his interception total to nine — a league high.
Even though Carroll maintained his optimism for the season, he admitted the start to his tenure in Las Vegas had taken a toll on him.
“I’m processing it poorly to tell you the truth because I did expect to win right out of the chutes,” Carroll said after enduring his second-largest margin of defeat as a coach — including NFL and college.
All of the issues that have plagued Las Vegas were on display in Indianapolis. Special teams struggled yet again. The Colts blocked a punt, resulting in All-Pro punter AJ Cole suffering a right ankle injury. Even though Cole returned, kicker Daniel Carlson was given punting duties.
Carlson missed a 57-yard field goal attempt in the final seconds of the first half. And if it wasn’t for a holding call on the Colts, the Raiders’ special teams unit would’ve been responsible for allowing a 98-yard kick return touchdown to Ashton Dulin.
Even though Las Vegas’ defense held Indianapolis to 96 rushing yards, the Colts still took advantage of solid field positions throughout the afternoon, going 6-for-6 in the red zone. Indianapolis was also 8-for-10 on third down.
“[The Colts] outexecuted us,” Carroll said. “… We weren’t able to get off the field, and that’s why they were able to sustain their drives.”
Said Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby: “Yeah, we didn’t do anything good.”
After the game, Smith sat at his locker, clearly frustrated. Wide receiver coach Chris Beatty consoled him. And later, Smith and Carroll had a lengthy conversation. Smith’s turnovers have been a chronic problem in the team’s disastrous start. He threw multiple interceptions for the third time in five games.
Smith’s nine interceptions are the most by any Raiders quarterback in the team’s first five games of a season since Jim Plunkett in 1982 (nine). The last quarterback to record nine picks in their team’s first five games was Zach Wilson for the New York Jets in 2021 (also nine).
“You’ve got to go through the process, man,” Smith said. “… We hate it, and I hate it the most.”
Unlike their opposition, the Raiders didn’t capitalize in the red zone, going 0-for-4 in those situations. Smith’s first interception came at the Colts’ 11-yard line when his pass attempt was tipped by Grover Stewart and intercepted by Laiatu Latu.
Carroll said he considered turning to backup quarterback Kenny Pickett late when the game was well out of hand but that he thought Smith and other starters, such as Crosby, needed more practice.
“We need the reps. … We need to run the system,” Carroll said. “We need to see the guys get their opportunities to improve. It’s not like a big change.”
Carroll and the Raiders had reason to hope. Carroll has a track record for winning and program building. Smith was coming off the best three-year stretch of his career as a starter for the Seattle Seahawks. The run game received a boost when the team drafted Ashton Jeanty in the first round, and players such as Crosby were returning from injury.
But the team that Carroll believed the Raiders could be hasn’t shown up yet. It also doesn’t help that All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers hasn’t been himself. Bowers missed Sunday’s game because of a PCL injury and a bone bruise in his left knee that he had played through since Week 1.
Carroll previously expressed his expectation that the All-Pro would be available despite missing two straight days of practice and being listed as questionable. Carroll said he hoped the additional days of rest would’ve helped Bowers, but Saturday, the second-year pass catcher didn’t feel right.
“If Brock could have played, he would have. If [cornerback Eric] Stokes could have played, he would have,” Carroll said. “We thought that resting them would make a difference, and we didn’t get as much out of that as we hoped.”
For the Raiders, the only silver lining after their third double-digit loss of the season is that there are still 12 games left.
“When life throws s— at you, you just got to find a solution and fix it,” Raiders linebacker Devin White said. “That’s what we are on right now.”
