Oct 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) looks to pass the ball against the Indianapolis Colts during the second quarter at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Why the Raiders Quarterback Process Is Under Fire

Originally posted on Las Vegas Raiders on SI
By Michael Canelo | Last updated Oct 7, 2025 7:00 AM ET

After five weeks of the 2025 National Football League season, the Las Vegas Raiders are going to have to kick start something that they thought they would not need to this early.

The Raiders have gotten off to a horrible start this season. The Raiders are now 1-4, and the way they have been losing has been a major concern for this franchise. It has not looked good for the Silver and Black the last few weeks. This new regime was supposed to improve the Raiders and make them a competitive team. They are not showing any of that, especially in their Week 5 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. It was another horrible performance on the offensive side of the ball.

Raiders have a major quarterback problem

Raiders starting quarterback Geno Smith has been the worst quarterback in the NFL so far this season. Smith has not lived up to the expectations the Raiders had for him when the Raiders signed him this offseason. Smith has two games in were he threw three interceptions. In Week 5, he threw two more interceptions and now has a total of nine on the season after just five weeks.

"The Raiders now have to start thinking about the quarterback position faster than they thought they would have. Something has to change because this team has not looked good, and starting at the most important position on the field is the main one," said Chris Cwik of Yahoo Sports.

"Through five games, the experiment has failed. Part of it can be blamed on the protection of the offensive line, which has repeatedly left Smith scrambling to stay upright. Another part can be blamed on a set of skill position players that badly needs a healthy Brock Bowers at tight end."

"He's battling a PCL injury and bone bruise that could linger for much of the season. But just as much of it can be attributed to this reality: An aging Smith is not the answer for the Raiders. Just like Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell before him. Instead, he’s another link in a chain of stopgap quarterbacks, destined to become a hurdle rather than a launching pad."

"And right about now, it seems that everyone should be looking at Brady again and wondering what comes next. The prospects of a postseason run have effectively slipped off the table already, with the rest of the AFC West offering nothing but a tough road and the offensive line in front of Smith unlikely to find any resolution to its problems by the end of the season."

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

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