Where the Raiders Stand Heading into Week 3

The Las Vegas Raiders have taken strides in the right direction under Head Coach Pete Carroll. In just a few months, Las Vegas has turned around several aspects of last season's team, making for an interesting next few months of football.

Ranking the Raiders

Eric Edholm of NFL.com recently ranked every team in the National Football League. Edholm ranked the Raiders as the 24th-best team in the league heading into Week 3. That is one spot lower than where he ranked the Raiders last week.

"Pete Carroll's 74th birthday wasn't a particularly celebratory affair, as the offense had a nightmarish night vs. the division rival Chargers. Geno Smith threw three picks, and his offensive line couldn't keep enough clean pockets. Brock Bowers played through a knee injury but looked like a decoy early before waking up a bit late. Jakobi Meyers took a while to get going, too," Edholm said.

"Ashton Jeanty had a few nice runs but never really got in gear. Everything just felt labored and clunky. The Raiders had zero success threatening the Los Angeles Chargers downfield. The defense hung in there and played great in the fourth quarter, but Las Vegas used up more than 11 minutes on its most promising drive of the second half before ultimately settling for a field goal. Smith's late pick in the end zone all but ended it. It just wasn't his or Carroll's night.

Edholm is right about Monday night. The Chargers were the better team, and it was not Smith or the Raiders' night. That happens sometimes in sports, especially to teams in the middle of their second game together, playing against a more well-established team.

The Raiders have insisted they grew and improved over the offseason. Las Vegas' respective performances in the first two weeks of the season confirmed those sentiments. However, it is also evident they need more time and more game action together to figure things out.

Growth takes time. Although a 2-0 start would have been a nice start for the Raiders, entering the season, few realistically thought that was a possibility. Monday night's loss was disappointing as it was undoubtedly a missed opportunity, but the Raiders still have 15 games remaining.

The season is still young.