The Las Vegas Raiders didn’t just lose to the Washington Commanders in Week 3 — they unraveled. The 41-24 defeat exposed flaws in all three phases, and head coach Pete Carroll made it clear afterward that the failure starts with him.
“It looked like we were off,” Carroll said postgame. “It’s not scheme-wise. Just physically, I didn’t get them right. I’m taking this one, and I’m disappointed in myself.”
The Raiders’ special teams were torched, surrendering 245 combined yards on punt and kickoff returns, including a near-house call by Deebo Samuel on the opening kick that set the tone. The Commanders quickly converted that field position into a touchdown, and Las Vegas never regained control.
The defense, which had held up well in the first two weeks, collapsed as well. Washington racked up 201 rushing yards and scored in every quarter. Backup quarterback Marcus Mariota, starting in place of the injured Jayden Daniels, carved up the Raiders’ defense with efficiency, completing 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards while adding a rushing score.
Raiders fans want the team to make changes moving forward
But the offense may be the most troubling unit of all. Geno Smith was sacked five times and constantly pressured behind an overwhelmed offensive line. Running back Ashton Jeanty found no room to operate, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry as defenders swarmed him in the backfield. Even with a touchdown strike to Tre Tucker in the second quarter, Las Vegas went into halftime trailing by double digits for the third straight week.
The offensive line’s struggles are drawing heavy scrutiny, not least because of the team’s decision to hire Brennan Carroll — Pete’s son — as the offensive line coach despite his lack of NFL experience in that role. Fans are already calling for changes, with veteran assistant Joe Philbin seen as a possible fallback option. Carroll faces an awkward balancing act between protecting his staff and addressing a glaring weakness that has derailed the team’s first three games.
Star defensive end Maxx Crosby didn’t mince words after the loss. “We just didn’t play good enough in all three phases,” Crosby said. “It’s just not our standard. We got to play better. We got to start fast and finish better.”
The Raiders sit at 1-2 and have looked like one of the league’s most dysfunctional teams over the past two weeks. Carroll, who hasn’t had fewer than seven wins in a season since 1994, is in unfamiliar territory. The franchise hasn’t had stability since its early-2000s run, and if the veteran coach can’t find answers, it’s fair to wonder who can.
Las Vegas hosts the Chicago Bears in Week 4, a chance to reset against another struggling team. But unless the Raiders can establish an offensive identity and shore up their blocking, this season risks spiraling into yet another lost campaign.
