The Las Vegas Raiders came up just short on September 28, falling 25-24 to the Chicago Bears at Allegiant Stadium after a blocked field goal sealed the defeat.
Geno Smith struggled to find rhythm, completing 14 of 21 passes for 117 yards with two touchdowns and throwing three interceptions. Turnovers have been a recurring issue for the veteran, who has thrown seven picks on the season, including several over the past three weeks.
Despite growing talk about giving Kenny Pickett a chance, head coach Pete Carroll continues to back Smith as his starter.
“I’m not worried about his confidence,” Carroll said while talking to the media on September 29. “He knows, and he has to re-evaluate the timing of the choice. He was too comfortable in the throw; he ripped it—he ripped both those throws—feeling like the ball was going to get there. What I’m concerned about is making sure we’re practicing him so he understands some of those throws aren’t there.
“He hits everything in practice, and he’s ridiculously accurate, and has been the whole time we’ve been together. He’s really confident, and he thought he could get it, but game speed was a little different. That’s where he grows—the game speed is a little different than the practice we can create.”
Geno Smith Is Ready to Bounce Back After Raiders’ Loss
Following the Raiders’ tough loss, Smith didn’t hold back, admitting his struggles and criticizing his own play against the Bears as part of a rough stretch in recent weeks.
“No. 1, take care of the ball, not throwing interceptions,” Smith told the media after the loss. “That’s the simplest way I can put it to you. First of all, I owe it to my teammates to go out there and play better. I felt like we had a great week of practice; I felt like the process was there.
“I felt like I was feeling good about what I was seeing. The game plan was great. Guys fought their tails off. We deserve to get this win and I let those guys down. So, there’s a lot of things I’m going to have to fix within myself. That’s the reality.”
Could Raiders QB Geno Smith Be Benched?
Smith has already thrown seven interceptions this season, sparking calls from some fans to turn to the former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback. While Carroll doesn’t appear ready to make that switch, sports media host Rich Eisen isn’t entirely convinced it won’t happen.
“The interceptions are killers,” Eisen said on the September 29 edition of “The Rich Eisen Show.” “They’re just absolute killers. They’re killers because they’re drive killers. Or in the case of the Raiders, here you are starting the second half. Let’s go. First snap, he throws it right to the Bears, who couldn’t do anything with it.
“Pete loves the guy, and for good reason. He trusts him, and he was asked if he was considering changing quarterbacks… But we’re not [at Pickett taking over as the starter] because Pete’s not there. I’ll tell you what—another three-interception game at Indianapolis, where the fans are plugged into what that team is doing, and it just gets louder and louder. That’s a tough place to go and win when you’re turning it over. That ain’t it.”