Geno Smith refuses to betray Pete Carroll despite the head coach’s outdated scheme driving the Las Vegas Raiders toward a lost season as the latest evidence came in a 33-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys that dropped the Raiders to 2-8.
After the defeat, Smith faced the media and absorbed all responsibility, shielding Carroll from criticism even as the offensive plan continues to fail as he stared into the cameras and delivered an emphatic message to frustrated fans.
“I know we got a lot of Monday morning quarterbacks who like to watch film and take screenshots and see where guys were open,” Smith said. “So, I’m sure you guys will see where the guys were open.
“For me, again, I just got to play better. And I keep saying this, man. If something don’t look right out there, blame it on me.
“If it don’t look right, blame it on me. That’s all you can do. Blame it on me. If your kids mess up at school, blame it on me. Car break down, going to work, blame it on me.”
Smith completed 27 of 42 passes for 238 yards with one touchdown and one interception, while the team managed only 27 rushing yards. Ashton Jeanty was limited to six carries for seven yards against a Dallas front that dictated terms all night.
When asked if he considered overriding Carroll‘s play calls at the line, Smith rejected the notion outright and defended the design of the offense despite its repeated inability to generate rhythm or sustain drives.
“I mean, you can check into any play at any time,” Smith added. “But would that be the right thing to do? Would you just go off script and just start calling your own plays?
“I don’t think that’s the right way to go about it. You know, I think the right thing to do is to do what we practice and what we were coached to do.
“And like I said, the plays are there. I don’t think there was any issue with the play calling. The plays were there, guys were open.”
Smith‘s public loyalty prevents any quarterback-led rebellion, yet the results remain dire: the Raiders rank bottom-five in yards per play and red-zone efficiency ten games into the Carroll–Smith reunion in Las Vegas.
Who do the Raiders play next?
The Raiders (2-8) host the Cleveland Browns (2-8) on November 23 at 16:05 ET/13:05 PT on Sunday.
Victory offers temporary relief for the coaching staff in a miserable NFL campaign; but defeat all but ends meaningful football for 2025 and secures prime draft position.
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