Another Week, Another Letdown: Raiders Fail Raider Nation Again

It was midway through the first quarter of the Raiders–Browns game when the Las Vegas Raiders fan at the bar began questioning his life decisions—namely, the choice to show up and cheer for his team.

I know this because I was sitting just a few barstools away. The game wasn’t on local television, and I don’t care for NFL Sunday Ticket. So there I was, unintentionally joining a shared experience of regret.

“Why did I show up to watch this game?” he asked to nobody in particular. “I could be doing anything else, and it would be better than watching this!” His voice carried across the bar, and everyone heard him.

There were other Raiders fans, too—enough for the bartender to put the Raiders on the big screen with full audio. Everyone came to watch pro football, but instead they witnessed the Raiders play like amateurs.

Decades of Futility, One More Low Point

Raiders fans have lived with decades of disappointment, but somehow this chapter feels closer to rock bottom. The franchise invested heavily: a Super Bowl–winning head coach, a new general manager, a high-priced offensive coordinator, and NFL legend Tom Brady as the organization’s top decision-maker. Yet the result—a 2–9 record—suggests the Raiders may once again be headed toward another organizational reset.

That possibility grew stronger when Pete Carroll dismissed offensive coordinator Chip Kelly after another listless outing. Kelly’s offense has looked disoriented since Week 1 in New England, and quarterback Geno Smith, brought in to steady the position, has struggled behind a battered offensive line and a scheme that never found its footing.

The loss to Cleveland wasn’t even the Raiders’ worst performance of the season—that distinction still belongs to their defeat in Kansas City. But the Browns entered the matchup 2–8, started reserve rookie quarterback Sheduer Sanders and played on the road in Las Vegas. It was reasonable to expect an ugly but competitive game between two struggling teams.

Instead, only one team looked truly dysfunctional. It marked one of the lowest moments for the Raiders since arriving in Las Vegas—and that’s saying a lot.

A Brutal Reality and an Uncertain Future…

The Raiders likely will overhaul the roster once the season concludes. General manager John Spytek faces a massive rebuilding task, and it’s difficult to imagine the league’s oldest head coach remaining for what appears to be a multi-year project.

Right now, watching the Raiders simply isn’t fun—not for fans, not for neutrals, and probably not for anyone in the front office. The product on the field has become a test of endurance.

And I can report firsthand that nobody enjoyed the Browns game. Even the haters seemed exhausted. What could they possibly say that would be worse than what unfolded on the screen?

That fan from earlier eventually left at halftime. Nobody blamed him. Now, it’s up to Spytek and Brady—or whoever ultimately takes control—to stop the slide and make the franchise worth rooting for again. And, hopefully, to stop ruining our Sunday afternoons.

IG: @_TheRaiderRamble