Barring Major Change, Raiders Made Costly Mistake at Quarterback with Geno Smith
The Raiders’ poor start is largely attributed to quarterback Geno Smith, whom coach Pete Carroll and new general manager John Spytek placed their hopes on as they began their tenures.
The team's 2-5 start has been marked by the league’s second-worst point differential, with the Raiders being outscored by an average of 11 points per game. Smith, a 35-year-old veteran, showed visible frustration with the team’s struggles.
His accountability appeared to wane as losses accumulated. Smith attributed his league-leading 10 interceptions to bad luck and blamed the overall offensive underperformance on the youth of the team.
However, after the Raiders' bye week, Smith displayed a more positive attitude and appeared refreshed during his first news conference in 10 days at the team’s Henderson headquarters.
“It starts with me,” Smith said of revitalizing the offense. “It starts with me getting the ball out of my hands and playing efficiently, playing the right way."
The 13-year NFL veteran reaffirmed his commitment to turning the Raiders into a winning team.
Author's summary: Geno Smith’s leadership challenges highlight the costly risks the Raiders took at quarterback, but his renewed focus could be pivotal for the team’s turnaround.