Ryan McFadden
LAS VEGAS — Geno Smith's fearlessness in throwing the ball into tight home windows is usually a present and a curse. It was the latter within the Raiders' 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night time.
One of many few probabilities the Raiders needed to begin a comeback got here to a halt as a consequence of Smith being overly aggressive. Going through a third-and-15 with 6:05 to go within the fourth quarter, Jakobi Meyers confronted double protection, but Smith tried to attach with the veteran huge receiver. Smith's cross was deflected by security Derwin James and picked off by Donte Jackson.
“I am not supporting a number of the decisions there,” coach Pete Carroll stated. “I must see what occurred, although. I wish to see if he had different choices.”
At Allegiant Stadium, Smith went 24-for-43 for 180 yards, with three interceptions and a passer score of 37. Every interception throw adopted an identical sample: Ailing-advised and momentum-draining.
On the sport's first play, he tried to finish a cross to huge receiver Tre Tucker, however Chargers security Alohi Gilman tipped the ball, and it was intercepted by linebacker Daiyan Henley.
Following Justin Herbert's 60-yard landing cross to Quentin Johnston, which gave the Chargers a 17-6 lead late within the second quarter, Las Vegas wanted Smith to orchestrate a profitable two-minute drive. 4 performs in, nonetheless, Smith made a dangerous transfer when focusing on Dont'e Thornton Jr. He rolled to the suitable, evading strain, and threw to the rookie huge receiver close to the purpose line, the place the ball was tipped and picked off by security Tony Jefferson.
“These are issues that I bought to be taught from and be higher at,” Smith stated. “Something that does not look proper on the market, [I] put that on my shoulders. I really feel like I bought to be loads higher for our guys. I do know I've to, and I shall be.”
Since Smith grew to become a starter in 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks, he has been an efficient deep ball thrower. Prior to now three seasons, Smith had a passer score of 109.2 on throws for 10-plus air yards. Towards the New England Patriots in Week 1, Smith was 4 for five for 120 yards, a landing and a passer score of 158.3 on deep cross makes an attempt (20-plus air yards).
The Chargers' inflexible protection flipped the narrative. Smith was 0-for-11 on throws of 10+ air yards — the second-most makes an attempt and not using a completion since ESPN started monitoring each NFL recreation in 2006, based on ESPN Analysis.
Carroll thought the crew was impatient within the passing recreation, resulting in Smith forcing deep throws.
“I do know that the picks are an enormous problem, however that is not my concern,” Carroll stated. “My concern is why we did not get the majority thrown and caught beneath, and we wound up taking these pictures.”
As an entire, the Raiders struggled offensively, ruining a powerful second-half efficiency from the protection. The unit held Los Angeles to a few factors within the second half and saved the sport inside attain.
Las Vegas struggled within the trenches. The offensive line gave up 16 pressures and three sacks. In the meantime, the Raiders had been held to 68 dashing yards. Raiders rookie Ashton Jeanty had 11 carries for 43 yards.
“I am by no means going to make any excuses about something,” Smith stated. “I've bought to be higher. We have to be higher, and we have got a brief week to enhance on that.”
