Pete Carroll processing Raiders' 1-4 start 'poorly'

INDIANAPOLIS -- Pete Carroll's upbeat tone began to amusement cracks Sunday afternoon.

The Las Vegas Raiders were handed a 40-6 drubbing by the Colts astatine Lucas Oil Stadium, marking the team's fourth-straight nonaccomplishment and the largest borderline of decision since their 48-9 nonaccomplishment astatine Kansas City successful 2021.

The Raiders' show implicit the past 4 weeks has been the implicit other of what Carroll hoped for erstwhile entering his archetypal play arsenic the coach. During the archetypal time of grooming campy successful July, helium stood proudly successful beforehand of reporters and said, "We are going to triumph a bunch, and I don't attraction who hears that."

Instead, the Raiders beryllium astatine 1-4 -- the worst commencement successful Carroll's caput coaching career. Meanwhile, his reunion with Geno Smith hasn't gone arsenic planned. The starting backmost was picked disconnected doubly by the Colts' defense, expanding his interception full to 9 -- a league-high.

Even though Carroll maintained his optimism for the season, helium admitted the commencement to his tenure successful Las Vegas had taken a toll connected him.

"I'm processing it poorly to archer you the truth, due to the fact that I did expect to triumph close retired of the chutes," said Carroll aft enduring his second-largest borderline of decision arsenic a manager -- including NFL and college.

All of the issues that person plagued Las Vegas were connected show successful Indianapolis. Special teams struggled yet again. The Colts blocked a punt, resulting successful All-Pro punter A.J. Cole suffering a close ankle injury. Even though Cole returned, kicker Daniel Carlson was fixed punting duties.

Carlson missed a 57-yard tract extremity effort successful the last seconds of the archetypal half. And if it wasn't for a holding telephone connected the Colts, the Raiders' peculiar teams portion would've been liable for allowing a 98-yard footwear instrumentality touchdown to Ashton Dulin.

Even though Las Vegas' defence held Indianapolis to 96 rushing yards, the Colts inactive took vantage of coagulated tract positions passim the afternoon, going 6 for 6 successful the reddish zone. Indianapolis was besides 8 for 10 connected 3rd down.

"[The Colts] outexecuted us," Carroll said. "... We weren't capable to get disconnected the field, and that's wherefore they were capable to prolong their drives."

Said Raiders antiaircraft extremity Maxx Crosby: "Yeah, we didn't bash thing good."

Following the game, Smith sat astatine his locker, vividly frustrated. Wide receiver manager Chris Beatty consoled him. And later, helium and Carroll had a lengthy one-on-one conversation. Smith's turnovers person been a chronic occupation successful the team's disastrous start. He threw aggregate interceptions for the 3rd clip successful 5 games.

Smith's 9 interceptions are the astir by immoderate Raiders backmost successful the team's archetypal 5 games of a play since Jim Plunkett successful 1982 (nine). The past backmost league-wide to grounds 9 picks successful their team's archetypal 5 games was Zach Wilson successful 2021 (also nine).

"You've got to spell done the process, man," Smith said. "... We hatred it, and I hatred it the most."

Unlike their opposition, the Raiders were incapable to capitalize successful the reddish zone, going 0 for 4 successful those situations. Smith's archetypal interception came astatine the Colts' 11-yard enactment erstwhile his walk effort was tipped by Grover Stewart and intercepted by Laiatu Latu.

Carroll said helium considered turning to backup backmost Kenny...