Nov 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll during the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Is a Breakout Finally Coming for This Disappointing Raiders Player?

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Nov 14, 2025 10:07 AM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders came out of their bye on a mission. While the season was already likely lost, with the team sitting at 2-5 going into the break, this organization and its fans needed to see some tangible signs of improvement, especially considering the aggressive moves made in the offseason to accelerate the rebuild.

Since their intermission, the Raiders have gone 0-2. However, looking beyond the record shows that they have taken some steps forward. They fell just short against an upstart Jacksonville Jaguars squad, 30-29, in overtime.

They had the chance to tie the game in OT with an extra point, but opted to go for the win instead. Ultimately, Geno Smith's pass was batted down at the line of scrimmage by DaVon Hamilton, dropping Las Vegas to 2-6.

They followed that game up by nearly upsetting the current leader of the AFC West, the Denver Broncos. The Raiders had a chance to tie the game, but Daniel Carlson's 48-yard field goal went wayward, cementing a 10-7 loss to fall to 2-7. Still, Las Vegas has built some momentum, and they have a very vulnerable matchup in front of them against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 11.

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Can Geno Smith finally break out?

While the Las Vegas Raiders still had a chance in Week 10, they were largely held back by Geno Smith's play. Against one of the top defenses in the league, the veteran quarterback struggled heavily, finishing with just 143 yards on 16-of-26 passing, zero touchdowns, and an interception.

He was also shaken up in the contest, but warded off backup Kenny Pickett to take the field again for the potential game-winning drive, possibly to the detriment of the Raiders. He had just one pass attempt, an incompletion on 3rd-and-6 that forced Las Vegas to settle for a missed 48-yard field-goal attempt.

Smith had a much better game in the week prior against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing for 284 yards, four touchdowns, and a pick on 29-of-39 passing. FanDuel expects him to bounce back versus a lackluster Dallas Cowboys defense. His line is set at 231.5 passing yards, while he's listed at -114 to throw for over 1.5 touchdowns and -160 to give away an interception. The Cowboys have given up the third-most passing yards in the league and the second-most passing touchdowns.

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This article first appeared on Las Vegas Raiders on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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