Tom Brady Needs to Prove What He Learned From Bill Belichick to Save the Raiders

As of Monday morning, there is no indication that the Raiders will dismiss Carroll within the coming weeks or at season’s end. ESPN previously reported that the 74-year-old Carroll signed a three-year deal with a fourth-year team option.

At the time, though, no one could have foreseen the Raiders starting 2-5 with one of the league’s worst offenses. Only four teams average fewer yards than the Raiders’ 276.4, and their 14.7 points per game trail only the woeful Titans’ 13.7 through seven weeks. Las Vegas already has a -5 turnover differential, and opponents have outscored the Raiders by 77 points, third-worst behind the Titans (-96) and Cincinnati Bengals (-78).

To be clear, Carroll isn’t solely to blame, especially after Las Vegas allowed the Chiefs to record 30 first downs on 77 plays. Smith and the Raiders managed three first downs on 30 plays and totaled just 95 yards to the Chiefs’ 434.

“It was a storm,” Carroll told reporters. “They’re doing everything they can to keep the ball moving, and we miss our opportunities.”

Added Smith: “Everybody in the locker room needs to look within themself and then as a unit, we’ve got to come together and continue to come together. Tough losses like this should be a gut check, and it should make you lock in more with your teammates.”

None of that should be what Brady wants to hear in his first full season as an owner. The Raiders seemingly went all-in to record only their third winning campaign since the start of 2003, and they’ve instead started 2-5 with three losses of at least 17 points.

Firing Carroll and replacing Smith are only two possible parts of the puzzle that is fixing the Raiders, but they’re risks that Brady needs to consider making within the coming months. There have been no credible reports that the Raiders will bench Smith and turn to former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick Kenny Pickett, and it’s too early to know which quarterbacks will be available next spring.

Brady has always relished a challenge, and fixing the Raiders is his newest roadblock. We’ll see whether he opts to stay the course and stick with Carroll, or if he’ll prove that, for all of Belichick’s idiosyncrasies, the legendary head coach was right in knowing when to cut bait.