The Las Vegas Raiders shot themselves in the foot with a struggling offense. Mistakes piled up for the Raiders as they lost 10-7 to the Denver Broncos. After their Week 10 clash ended in heartbreak, the post-game locker room carried tension. The message from head coach Pete Carroll was clear. This is a proving ground, not a playground, and everyone’s future is on the line.

“This isn’t gonna be forever,” Carroll noted, addressing the costly mistakes. “Guys that have been around, that wouldn’t have happened to. We’ll overcome that. If they don’t, they won’t get better, and they won’t be here. But they’ll improve on those things.”

While the message didn’t specifically target rookie RB Ashton Jeanty, the statement did get real on the possibility of cutting a player like him. Despite a touchdown, his dropped passes were among the errors.

The Raiders had a major chance to break their losing streak in Week 10. Their secondary forced two punts from the Broncos in the first quarter. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty hauled in a rushing touchdown, and the Raiders had a 7-0 lead. But then the scene flipped on its head.

Jeanty dropped the ball twice in Week 10. The costliest fumble came in the third quarter, which led to an interception. The teams were tied 7-7, and there was no room for error. For the first-rounder rookie, it’s not a good outlook, especially with Pete Carroll’s grim ultimatum. But Jeanty wasn’t the only reason the Raiders lost.

Altogether, there were at least three more instances where the Raiders could have come out on top. Rookie WR Jack Bech got flagged with a holding penalty in the first quarter, erasing what could have been a first down in the Broncos’ territory. Fellow rookie WR Dont’e Thornton then followed it up with a pass interference flag that erased a touchdown, which could have brought the Raiders up to 14 points. But they still had a chance… if not for the special teams blunder.

With 4:30 left in the fourth quarter and already trailing 10-7, the Raiders had a chance to send the game into overtime with a tie. eighth-year kicker Daniel Carlson had a chance to even the field with a 48-yard field goal, which he missed. The Broncos played keep with the ball and ran out the clock for the win. 

Unfortunately, the team’s miscues aren’t the only worries the team’s facing right now. Raiders’ starting quarterback Geno Smith suffered a late-game injury that sounded some alarm bells.

Geno Smith’s injury is causing concerns

Right at the start of the fourth quarter, Geno Smith took a tackle and suffered a thigh bruise. While he was initially marked as ‘questionable’ to return, he came back on their next possession and played out the rest of the quarter. But is this going to hamper his Week 11 appearance? 

“It’s a thigh bruise,” Carroll noted. “It’s not like some other injuries. This is not one he can’t come back from.”

Still, the risk is real. Thigh bruises tend to linger for a while. This adds a layer of complexity. The Raiders’ offense, already suffering from injuries and mistakes, could stall if their QB’s prowess drops. But there’s a silver lining.

Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett will be available to offer some support if Smith isn’t feeling 100%. Furthermore, Smith will have plenty of time to heal up. Their next opponent is the Dallas Cowboys on November 17 for their Monday Night Football clash.

The Raiders now face a make-or-break stretch. Cuts may come as per Carroll’s implication. The next few weeks will show us who’s really ready to contribute, and who might be gone.