The Las Vegas Raiders are officially out of the playoff picture-and if that news surprises you, you’re not alone. Technically, they were still alive heading into the weekend, but after another blowout loss, even the slimmest mathematical hopes have been erased. Now that the postseason dream is dead, Raider Nation can shift into a more familiar mode: dissecting what’s gone wrong and wondering how much worse it might get before it gets better.
But let’s not bury the lede-because amid the wreckage, one player is quietly building a case for greatness.
Brock Bowers Is the Real Deal
There’s no sugarcoating the state of this offense, but Brock Bowers is giving fans a reason to keep watching. The second-year tight end continues to look like a future star-and possibly more than that.
He’s not just producing; he’s doing it in ways that defy the box score. This week, he pulled off one of the most jaw-dropping catches of the season, the kind of play that makes you hit rewind just to believe your eyes.
It wasn’t just good-it was one for the Raiders’ highlight reel, the kind fans will be talking about for years.
You’d have to go back quite a ways-maybe to Tim Brown-to find a Raider who’s had this kind of offensive impact so early in his career. And that’s saying something.
Bowers is explosive, reliable, and tough, and he’s doing it all while being the focal point of every opposing defense. He’s the kind of player you build around, not just scheme for.
If the Raiders can surround him with the right talent and stability, the ceiling is sky-high.
But that’s where the optimism ends.
The Offense Remains Stuck in Neutral
There was hope that a change in play-calling might spark something-anything-on offense. With Chip Kelly out and Greg Olson stepping in, the expectation was for a fresher approach. And while the chaos may have been dialed down a notch, the results were still hard to watch.
The problems go beyond play design. The offensive line continues to struggle in both protection and run blocking.
The quarterback play remains inconsistent at best. And when your best receiver is a tight end-no matter how good he is-that’s a sign of how limited your weapons are on the outside.
Geno Smith hasn’t been able to lift the offense, and the unit’s overall lack of rhythm and execution speaks to deeper issues. This isn’t just about X’s and O’s; it’s about roster construction and philosophical direction. And that leads us to the man at the top.
Pete Carroll’s Fingerprints Are Everywhere
There’s no way around it-Pete Carroll’s influence is being felt, and not in a good way. From personnel decisions to schematic tendencies, the Raiders are operating like a team stuck between eras, trying to blend old-school ideals with a modern league that’s passing them by.
Take the handling of the rookies. The Raiders have young players who’ve shown they’re ready to contribute, yet they’re still being rotated in and out of the lineup like it’s a preseason game. That kind of inconsistency makes it hard for anyone-especially young talent-to find a groove.
Carroll pointed to Chip Kelly’s firing as the catalyst for giving the rookies more snaps, but that explanation doesn’t hold up. If anything, it raises more questions.
Why weren’t the best players seeing the field earlier? Why is Darien Porter still struggling to get meaningful reps?
And then there’s the quarterback situation. Aidan O’Connell hasn’t been perfect, but it’s hard to argue he wouldn’t be at least as effective as Geno Smith or Kenny Pickett.
Yet he remains buried on the depth chart. It’s the kind of decision that makes you wonder whether the team is more committed to a vision than to winning games.
Defensive Identity Crisis
The defense hasn’t escaped this identity crisis either. Patrick Graham has been a steady presence as defensive coordinator, but this year the unit feels like a shell of its former self. The scheme has taken a noticeable turn toward conservative, static zone looks-especially Cover 3 concepts that feel pulled straight from Carroll’s old Seahawks playbook.
It’s not just the scheme, either. Graham is now calling games from the sideline instead of the booth, a move that seems more about appeasing Carroll than maximizing the defense’s effectiveness.
The result? A unit that looks hesitant, reactive, and far too easy to exploit.
Where Do the Raiders Go From Here?
With the playoffs officially off the table, the Raiders are entering evaluation mode-whether they admit it or not. The rest of the season is about figuring out who’s worth building around and who isn’t.
Brock Bowers? He’s a cornerstone.
But the rest of the roster? That’s a much murkier picture.
There are no quick fixes here. Firing a coordinator didn’t change the offense.
Rotating quarterbacks hasn’t sparked a turnaround. And leaning on outdated philosophies is only widening the gap between the Raiders and the league’s contenders.
The offseason will bring big questions-about the coaching staff, the front office, and the direction of the franchise. But for now, the biggest question is a simple one: When will the Raiders stop getting in their own way?
Because until that happens, it won’t matter how many stars like Bowers emerge.