Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll talks to players during warmups before an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Chicago Bears at Allegiant Stadium Sunday, Sept. 28, 2025. Photo by: Steve Marcus
Monday, Oct. 6, 2025 | 9:21 p.m.
Raiders coach Pete Carroll could have emptied the bench in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 40-6 loss at Indianapolis.
The Colts, after all, did.
But Carroll said his players needed the extra practice time, which underscores where the franchise sits. Any extra work, even in a blowout defeat, is welcome.
Las Vegas has lost four games in a row, and at 1-4, Carroll has matched his 2001 season at Southern California for his worst start as a head coach. He repeatedly said from the moment he was introduced in January all the way through training camp that his intention in Las Vegas was to win right away.
Carroll said Monday he remained confident in the plan. He compared the Raiders’ situation to the Las Vegas Aces being up 2-0 in the WNBA Finals after beginning the season 14-14.
“I know that we’re going to come together,” Carroll said. “I have no hesitation in saying that. I just wish it was sooner than later, so we’re going to keep plugging away. Our guys are practicing hard and they care, and the leadership is good and they’re solid, and they’re keeping our guys’ heads in the right place.
“Let’s learn the lesson that the Aces taught us. They were struggling and then they win 16 in a row, and look where they are now. So things can turn, and that’s the only way I’ve ever known it, so that’s the only expectation I have.”
The Raiders are 5-point favorites, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, for Sunday’s home game against Tennessee. It may be the last time they’re favored for a while. Las Vegas travels to Kansas City before its bye week, then hosts Jacksonville, visits Denver and faces Dallas at home.
The Raiders also hope to stay relevant in a city where the other two major professional teams have championship aspirations. The Aces are two wins away from their third title in four years, and the Golden Knights are co-favorites to win their second Stanley Cup in four years. Even the minor league baseball and indoor football teams won titles this year.
UNLV’s football team, for that matter, is 5-0 under first-year coach Dan Mullen.
So Las Vegas fans have other viewing options, not to mention what the city offers from an entertainment standpoint. Allegiant Stadium could go from often feeling like a neutral site to one taken over by opposing fans.
That is, unless the Raiders and interception-prone quarterback Geno Smith start to turn things around. Carroll said he believes it’s coming.
“It’s longer than I expected it to be,” Carroll said.
