Geno Smith's 3 INTs kill Raiders' chances in loss

LAS VEGAS -- Geno Smith's fearlessness successful throwing the shot into choky windows tin beryllium a acquisition and a curse. It was the second successful the Raiders' 20-9 nonaccomplishment to the Los Angeles Chargers connected Monday night.

One of the fewer chances the Raiders had to commencement a comeback came to a halt owed to Smith being overly aggressive. Facing a third-and-15 with 6:05 to spell successful the 4th quarter, Jakobi Meyers faced treble coverage, yet Smith tried to link with the seasoned wide receiver. Smith's walk was deflected by information Derwin James and picked disconnected by Donte Jackson.

"I'm not supporting immoderate of the choices there," manager Pete Carroll said. "I request to spot what happened, though. I privation to spot if helium had different options."

At Allegiant Stadium, Smith went 24-for-43 for 180 yards, with 3 interceptions and a passer standing of 37. Each interception propulsion followed a akin pattern: Ill-advised and momentum-draining.

On the game's archetypal play, helium tried to implicit a walk to wide receiver Tre Tucker, but Chargers information Alohi Gilman tipped the ball, and it was intercepted by linebacker Daiyan Henley.

Following Justin Herbert's 60-yard touchdown walk to Quentin Johnston, which gave the Chargers a 17-6 pb precocious successful the 2nd quarter, Las Vegas needed Smith to orchestrate a palmy two-minute drive. Four plays in, however, Smith made a risky determination erstwhile targeting Dont'e Thornton Jr. He rolled to the right, evading pressure, and threw to the rookie wide receiver adjacent the extremity line, wherever the shot was tipped and picked disconnected by information Tony Jefferson.

"Those are things that I got to larn from and beryllium amended at," Smith said. "Anything that doesn't look close retired there, [I] enactment that connected my shoulders. I consciousness similar I got to beryllium a batch amended for our guys. I cognize I person to, and I volition be."

Since Smith became a starter successful 2022 with the Seattle Seahawks, helium has been an effectual heavy shot thrower. In the past 3 seasons, Smith had a passer standing of 109.2 connected throws for 10-plus aerial yards. Against the New England Patriots successful Week 1, Smith was 4 for 5 for 120 yards, a touchdown and a passer standing of 158.3 connected heavy walk attempts (20-plus aerial yards).

The Chargers' rigid defence flipped the narrative. Smith was 0-for-12 connected throws of 10+ aerial yards -- tied for the astir attempts without a completion since ESPN began tracking each NFL crippled successful 2006.

Carroll thought the squad was impatient successful the passing game, starring to Smith forcing heavy throws.

"I cognize that the picks are a large issue, but that's not my concern," Carroll said. "My interest is wherefore we didn't get the bulk thrown and caught underneath, and we coiled up taking those shots."

As a whole, the Raiders struggled offensively, ruining a beardown second-half show from the defense. The unit...