Home/NFL
Home/NFL
feature-image

via Imago

feature-image

via Imago

The Las Vegas Raiders enter their bye week after a crushing defeat at the hands of Andy Reid’s Kansas City Chiefs. Instead of mounting a challenge or staging an upset, the Silver and Black were completely overpowered, suffering a 31-0 loss on October 19 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. And the rookie RB Ashton Jeanty, who won often at Boise State, isn’t used to such outcomes.

Watch What’s Trending Now!

It’s fair to think that he must be frustrated, considering how he has emerged as a force of nature in the 2025 season. Coming into the Week 7 matchup against the Chiefs, he led the team with 105 carries for 424 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns. Even in the receiving game, he has 2 scores in 14 receptions for 73 yards. So, now, he wants a culture change.

After the Raiders had a shutout week 7 loss of 0-31, Jeanty asked his teammates to step up. “I’ve lost before in my life, but I definitely don’t like losing,” Jeanty said, before adding, “If we’re being honest, it’s been a losing culture around here for a long time, but we have to continue to work to fix that and bring winning back here”.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

The rookie isn’t wrong. In the last decade (2015-2024), the Raiders have only qualified for the playoffs twice. In 4 of those 8 seasons when they failed to get into the postseason, they had double-digit losses. So, the Raiders definitely need a major overhaul.

“Just a terrible performance by us as a team,” Jeanty also said. “Couldn’t stop them on defense and offense. We couldn’t get going at all. So, you’re going to lose a lot of football games like that…”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

What probably adds to Jeanty’s frustration is the fact that the team has kept gradually increasing his production, putting more and more on his plate. However, he has not been supported in the same manner. The Raiders’ offense has continued to struggle and thus derails Jeanty’s efforts as well, as he is frequently tackled behind the line of scrimmage.

“We just got to be better. I mean, simple as that. We got to go back, watch the film, can’t point the finger, can’t point a finger at coaches for the scheme or another player for making a mistake. We got to look inward and see how each and every single one of us can get better to make sure that never happens again.”

However, Ashton Jeanty needs to look at the changes the team has made.

Read Top Stories First From EssentiallySports

Click here and check box next to EssentiallySports

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Owner Mark Davis started with the change in administration by hiring new GM John Spytek in January this year. He then signed a new head coach, Pete Caroll, who led the Seattle Seahawks for 14 seasons. The Hawks qualified for the playoffs 11 times under him, and also won Super Bowl XLVIII in 2013. There is a change in their owner group, too.

Davis now co-owns the Raiders with the GOAT Tom Brady as their part-owner. That will definitely bring a major change if their poor show continues in the season. But for the fans, it was a major disappointment on October 19. The Chiefs humiliated them brutally in Arrowhead, marking their 4th win and 5th loss for the Raiders.

The Raiders started the season strong with a win, but then dropped four games in a row. They managed to bounce back against the Titans, only to end up losing again. Now, heading into their bye week, the team has more doubts than answers. Whether having this break is a good thing or not is another matter; however, the team will need to sit with this loss and figure things out.

Ashton Jeanty & Co. registers a shutout loss

The Kansas City Chiefs were clearly the better team against the Las Vegas Raiders. Patrick Mahomes led the way with a strong performance at quarterback, while the Raiders’ offense never got going. He completed 26 of 35 passes for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He stayed calm in the pocket, found open receivers, and avoided mistakes.

For the Raiders, QBs Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett combined for only 75 passing yards. Smith completed 10 of 16 throws for 67 yards, and Pickett added 8 more yards on two short passes. Neither quarterback threw a touchdown nor an interception. They were safe with the ball but couldn’t move it down the field.

The running game told a similar story. The Raiders could only rush for 25 total yards on 11 carries. Ashton Jeanty led the team with just 21 yards, and no one else made much of an impact. The Chiefs, however, were steady and productive. RB Isiah Pacheco rushed for 57 yards and a touchdown, while RBs Brashard Smith and Kareem Hunt added good support. Even Mahomes ran for 28 yards. Kansas City finished with 152 rushing yards, controlling the pace and keeping the Raiders’ defense tired.

The Chiefs’ receivers also made a big difference. WR Rashee Rice caught seven passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns in his first game of the 2025 season, while TE Travis Kelce added 54 yards, including a big 44-yard play. Eight different Chiefs caught passes, showing how balanced their offense was. The Raiders’ receivers, meanwhile, struggled to get open.

Their top target, Tre Tucker, had just 33 yards on five catches, and no one else gained more than 13 yards. The Raiders finished with only 75 total receiving yards and no touchdowns.

Overall, Kansas City handed them their 20th shutout loss. It’s also the 3rd consecutive shutout loss by the Raiders against the Chiefs. The previous two came in 2002 and 2012.

Maybe Ashton Jeanty is right. They need a culture change, and need it right now.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT