The Las Vegas Raiders just got handed a narrow 10-7 loss by the Denver Broncos in Week 10. But the loss came with far bigger concerns than the scoreboard. The real damage came from a growing list of injuries that’s beginning to cripple the roster in Las Vegas. Head coach Pete Carroll delivered troubling news about multiple injuries after the game. And unfortunately, it also included quarterback Geno Smith. 

Geno Smith appeared to have bruised his thigh in the second half of the game against Denver. He had briefly exited, forcing Kenny Pickett to step in. Even though Smith pushed through the pain and finished the game, he was clearly struggling.

Pete Carroll later confirmed that Smith likely sustained a quad contusion. It’s not a long-term issue, so Smith should be ready for Week 11. Unfortunately, the bigger blow came when Jackson Powers-Johnson went down in the second quarter. 

During a sack by Denver edge rusher Nik Bonitto, Jackson Powers-Johnson rolled his ankle and stayed on the turf in visible pain. Trainers helped him off the field before carting him to the locker room – never a good sign. And Pete Carroll later confirmed everyone’s fears: “He’ll be out for a while.” That’s a major setback for the Raiders’ offense.  

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Jackson Powers-Johnson had finally started finding his rhythm after a rocky start to the season. Losing him now, with the Raiders arguably out of playoff contention, raises questions about whether Pete Carroll should shut him down for the rest of the year. Would it even make sense to risk further injury in a lost season?

But to make matters worse, left guard Dylan Parham later suffered a high ankle sprain and was ruled questionable to return. He was replaced by reserve lineman Will Putnam. And with veteran left tackle Kolton Miller already on injured reserve, the Raiders’ offensive line suddenly looks dangerously thin. Can Las Vegas survive another week with this many key players down? 

Pete Carroll faces more trouble as the Raiders suffer more injuries

The Raiders’ Week 10 matchup was already tough to watch. It was a flag-filled, stop-and-go game in which the team could not find its rhythm. To make matters worse, Pete Carroll kept seeing his players limping to the sidelines or heading into the blue medical tent. Despite the injury, Geno Smith pushed through. He returned to finish the game and even gave the Raiders a shot to tie it late. But kicker Daniel Carlson’s missed field goal sealed another frustrating loss for the Raiders.

“I think he’s turning the corner,” Pete Carroll said earlier while talking about Geno Smith. “He’s as competitive as ever… frustrated because we want to win, and we want to play big and all that. He’s ready to go, and we need to build it up around him.”

But it is undeniable that Geno Smith has struggled badly this season. He just threw his league-leading 12th interception against Denver. He completed 16 of 26 passes for just 143 yards, was sacked 6 times, and faced pressure on nearly half his dropbacks (13 total). But while Geno hasn’t played well, the Raiders’ offense has also been a disaster, and that should worry Pete Carroll. 

Early on in the game against Denver, the Raiders managed to move the ball on the ground with rookie Ashton Jeanty. But once Jackson Powers-Johnson left, though, the run game completely fell apart. It’s becoming clear that Las Vegas is a team without direction. They’ve had chances to take control of games but have repeatedly collapsed under pressure. 

Moreover, now with mounting injuries and another loss, the spotlight shifts to Pete Carroll. Can he turn this around before the season spirals further? Or is this just the beginning of the end for his time in silver and black? One thing’s for sure – the Raiders are running out of answers fast with each lost game.