This past weekend, the Raiders faced a challenging loss against the Chargers in Los Angeles, marking a significant moment for coach Pete Carroll. The City of Angels holds a special place in Carroll”s heart, as it was there that he experienced a career transformation while coaching at USC. His time with the Trojans is remembered for its remarkable success, yet it is easy to overlook the difficulties faced at the beginning of his tenure, including a disappointing start of five losses in his first seven games. Despite those early setbacks, Carroll recognized the potential for growth, which eventually led to a dominant period featuring two national championships and three Heisman Trophy winners.
Now, with the Raiders sitting at 2-10, a turnaround appears daunting. However, Carroll”s optimism shines through as he reflects on the current challenges and opportunities in Las Vegas. “Absolutely, and that”s why it”s so hard that we are not able to enjoy the hard work and the changes and the adjustments that we”ve made because it”s very similar,” Carroll commented after the Raiders” 31-10 defeat. He continued, “It is very similar to how we are responding together, the way we work, the attitude, the mentality, guys supporting one another, all of that is what it takes to turn the corner and get around.”
Carroll believes that the groundwork currently being established could lead to success, potentially sooner than many might expect. “It feels like it”s just right there within our reach, maybe it doesn”t look like that to you guys, but that”s what it feels like,” he said. “I can say that because of the mentality of the guys in the locker room. They continue to lead well, they continue to hang well, they continue to practice well, and respond to the challenges of it. That part of it is okay; we have to play better.”
A significant issue for the Raiders this season has been their inability to convert on third downs, and their performance during the game against the Chargers was no exception, with a conversion rate of just 2-of-8. “We all just got to play better,” said quarterback Geno Smith. “I got to play a lot better. I”ve got to be better for the guys. That”s really it. We”ve got to be more consistent. I”ve got to be more consistent down in, down out.”
The defensive struggles mirrored the offensive woes, as the Raiders allowed the Chargers to convert 12 of their 17 third-down opportunities. This inefficiency on both sides of the ball highlighted the disparity in possession time, with the Chargers executing 67 plays compared to the Raiders” 46, leading to a dominant time of possession of 35:48 to 24:12.
