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Joint practice showcases progress for Raiders sore spot

Originally posted on Dice City Sports | By Derek Hegna | Last updated Aug 15, 2025 11:17 AM ET

Due to inefficiencies on offense, it was no secret that the Las Vegas Raiders struggled to put points on the board in 2024.

As such, it was no surprise that the Raiders could not get the ball into the end zone even when they were closing in. Last season, the Raiders scored touchdowns on 49.8% of their possessions in the red zone, which placed them 26th across the entire NFL. With the upgrades made on offense this season, a similar result should be considered unacceptable.

During the Raiders’ joint practice with the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, however, progress appears to have been made in that department.

The Raiders’ red zone play was the highlight of an up-and-down day for the offense.

While the Raiders did not have the cleanest day offensively, The Athletic’s Tashan Reed reported that things began to click during the red zone period.

Geno Smith threw touchdowns to the likes of Brock Bowers, Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker during the period.

The #Raiders offense didn’t move the ball much during team drills, but they’re clicking in the red zone. Smith has hit Bowers, Jeanty, Meyers and Tucker for TDs.

— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) August 14, 2025

Despite some of the struggles, particular at the beginning of the joint practice, Smith was confident that the Raiders would get to where they want to be.

“There’s going to be ups and downs in this game. You’re never going to be perfect. We strive for perfection. I just want to continue to breathe life into my guys because we got some really good players and they work extremely hard,” said Smith during his media availability after practice.

With live reps against a different style of defense, hopefully the Raiders can punch more touchdowns in when the opportunity to score presents itself.

This article first appeared on Dice City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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