Evaluating the Pressure Facing Geno Smith in Week 5

The Las Vegas Raiders will head north to face a solid Indianapolis Colts team in Week 5. However, the Raiders have issues of their own they must work out if they hope to pull off the upset.

The Raiders' Progression

The Raiders have experienced the inevitable growing pains that come with the significant number of changes they made this offseason. Las Vegas made a change at center, quarterback, running back, head coach, and offensive coordinator, among other positions.

So many critical changes over one offseason are bound to lead to hiccups early on, and that is precisely what has happened with the Raiders' offense through the season's first four games. Las Vegas is 1-3, primarily because of the offense's struggles.

Smith currently leads the National Football League. Although his struggles have as much to do with a lack of consistent play from his offensive line, there are no excuses for most of the interceptions Smith has thrown so far.

Before practice earlier this week, Raiders Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly elaborated on the seven interceptions Smith has thrown through the season's first four games. Kelly noted that while there is no escaping accountability for Smith, the Raiders' opponents deserve some credit as well.

"All the plays were slightly different. The two over the middle trying to get a clear-out route and then a route in behind it, and didn't get them cleared through enough. Geno [Smith] thought that he was going to run with the deeper route, and then he fell off. Good play, he's a good player. Kevin [Byard III] is a really good player," Kelly said.

“Been a good player in this league for a long time. So, you go through everyone, just like when we went in the Chargers game, what happened on that. But there's not a theme. Each one's a little bit slightly different and then you try to learn through those experiences and then move."

It is still early in the season, but the fact remains that the Raiders are 1-3 and have little room for error moving forward. They face a formidable foe in the Colts, but it does not matter who the Raiders play, as the Raiders have beaten the Raiders more than any other team has beaten them this season.