If there was ever a game to justify the Seattle Seahawks decision to trade away Geno Smith, it was undoubtedly this one. After an impressive debut with the Las Vegas Raiders against the New England Patriots, where Smith threw for over 350 yards, the expectations were high for his first home game. However, facing off against the Los Angeles Chargers on a Monday night proved to be a nightmare for Smith, ending in a disappointing 20-9 loss.
In this crucial matchup, Smith's performance was underwhelming. He finished the game with a dismal stat line of 24 completions on 43 attempts for just 180 yards. More alarmingly, he threw three interceptions, which included a back-breaking mistake in the red zone — a recurring theme that his critics have often highlighted. This game could serve as a strong argument against giving Smith another year in Seattle, let alone a much-deserved contract extension.
Adding to the disappointment, the game coincided with Pete Carroll's 74th birthday. His “gift” was a loss to Jim Harbaugh in their first meeting since 2014. The evening started ominously for Smith, who had his first pass intercepted by Daiyan Henley, leading the Chargers to a quick field goal. The second interception was essentially a desperate throw on third down, which fortuitously pinned the Chargers at their own 1-yard line. However, the third interception was the most damaging, as it came in the end zone during a crucial moment of the game.
Smith's accuracy was notably poor throughout the game, as he frequently overthrew targets, including the towering but hobbled Brock Bowers. The explosive plays that he successfully executed against the Patriots were nowhere to be found against the elite Chargers defense. His night was encapsulated in the final minutes, where he scrambled under pressure on a fourth down and ultimately threw the ball away. A staggering 15 of Smith's throws were defensed, a statistic that stands out both in volume and as a percentage of his total attempts.
While the Raiders' receiving corps is not particularly deep, outside of Bowers and Jakobi Meyers, Smith's performance made everything seem exceedingly difficult. The Chargers, boasting a more talented roster and a superior quarterback, secured their victory without much struggle, highlighting the challenges ahead for the Raiders. For Smith, this game might mark the end of the honeymoon period among skeptical Raiders fans.
For Pete Carroll, another challenging topic in his later years with the Seahawks was evident during this game. An 11-minute drive in the fourth quarter that ended in a field goal, while trailing 20-6, may have been a moment that necessitated tough decisions regarding the future of the franchise. Unlike the Russell Wilson trade, there are no future draft picks at stake for the Seahawks to consider in relation to the Raiders' future.
