HENDERSON, Nev. -- The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off back-to-back, double-digit losses, but they don't feel like the sky is falling yet.
"Nothing is going sideways," quarterback Geno Smith said. "...We have a long season ahead of us. It's never easy to lose a game. You want to win every game, but that's not the reality."
The Raiders' matchup against the Chicago Bears provides a good opportunity to regain momentum. The Bears are fresh off a 31-14 win over the Dallas Cowboys, but still come to Las Vegas allowing 31 points and 387 yards per game.
If Las Vegas wants to avoid putting itself in a deeper hole, there are a handful of things the team needs to clean up. From the offensive line's issues in pass protection and run blocking to first-half defensive struggles, here are four of the team's biggest issues through three weeks:
Can the offensive line come together?
The Raiders' offensive line has been their Achilles heel this season. Through three weeks, Las Vegas is tied for third in sacks (12) and pressures (51) allowed. The unit's run blocking has been even more problematic.
Starting right tackle DJ Glaze is responsible for the most pressures (16) and sacks (4) among the Raiders' offensive linemen. Meanwhile, left guard Dylan Parham has also struggled, allowing 15 pressures.
Las Vegas is last in run block win rate (64.9%) and 30th in yards per attempt. Rookie running back Ashton Jeanty hardly has had open space to run. He has been hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on 57% (27 of 47) of his rush attempts this season.
"We have to get him better spacing, and we got to get him away from all those guys in the middle," Raiders coach Pete Carroll said. "So, it's the whole attack. We've just got to continue to expand it and keep him from getting hit because he's the first one to look for hits, too."
Carroll said Wednesday that he doesn't anticipate moving second-year lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson back to center. Carroll mentioned that the team has invested too much time in the current structure of the offensive line, and young players, such as rookie guard Caleb Rogers, are not yet ready.
Powers-Johnson went into the season expecting to be the Raiders' full-time center. However, the coaching staff moved Jordan Meredith to center and slid the former Oregon standout to right guard.
Powers-Johnson playing guard is not surprising. The Raiders announced him as a guard when he was selected in the second round of the 2024 NFL draft. He also played 504 snaps at guard as a rookie. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said Powers-Johnson's body type is better suited for guard.
"Jordan did a better job in [training] camp at playing center for us in terms of what we want call-wise, putting us in the right protections," Kelly said. "... [Powers-Johnson] is built like a guard than a center. There's a lot of big 3-techniques in this league, so having a bigger body at the guard spot is what he is."
Still, the apparent competition at right guard is a bit eye-opening. Alex Cappa started the past two games despite Powers-Johnson being cleared to play in Week 3 after sustaining a concussion against the Chargers.
Carroll said the offensive line having continuity coming off a short week factored into keeping Cappa in the lineup. But Powers-Johnson has shown he's more talented to handle the role. Powers-Johnson should be back in the starting lineup thanks to the Raiders having a longer time to practice and rest ahead of Sunday's matchup.
"Jackson hasn't hit anybody in two weeks. We need to see what he can do. So, we got to check him out and see how he does," Carroll said.
Whether it's Cappa or Powers-Johnson, Carroll said the team will continue to work with what it has at offensive line.
Defense a strength ... but must start faster
The New England Patriots didn't make the Raiders pay for a slow defensive start in Week 1, but the Chargers and Commanders took advantage. Las Vegas enters Week 4 ranked 25th in points allowed in the first half (15.7 per game), and has been outscored 47-23. The Raiders have also given up 214 total yards (30th) in the first two quarters.
Against Washington, they allowed 20 points and 259 yards, including 174 on the ground, in the first half. Other than the Commanders dropping 41 points on the Raiders, the defense has been fairly solid. But the unit's slow starts will further plague the team, especially if the offense is still struggling to find consistency.
Can Jeanty play a bigger role in the passing game?
Jeanty's skill set as a receiver helped make him an attractive draft prospect, but he has struggled to produce in that category as well. Jeanty has been targeted six times, recording five catches for 3 yards.
Jeanty has had two catches result in negative yards.
"I would like to see Ashton have 75 catches," Kelly said. "... If your back is in protection, he may be the fourth or fifth option, but we don't want [Smith] to bypass one, two and three just to get the ball to the back."
At Boise State, Jeanty's receiving numbers dropped from 569 yards in 2023 to 138 yards in 2024, though his effectiveness as a receiver remains. Kelly said during the offseason that Jeanty could do different things on the field, whether in the backfield or lined up in the slot.
Getting Jeanty more involved as a pass catcher could help the offense while giving him opportunities to create in space.
Pass defense has tailed off
The Raiders had 19 pressures and four sacks in the win over New England. Since then, they've totaled just three sacks and 14 pressures.
Las Vegas is 25th in pressure rate (30%) and 24th in pressures (24th). The Raiders are hoping for more out of defensive end Tyree Wilson and Malcolm Koonce. Wilson hasn't recorded a pressure in 21 pass-rush snaps in the past two games, while Koonce recorded only one pressure on nine pass-rush snaps against Washington.
"We're trying with our combinations and mixing our looks," Carroll said. "... It's still a work in progress in that we're learning who's who and what they can do best."
The Raiders' pass defense has been inconsistent. Las Vegas has given up 237 yards per game (25th). Commanders QB Marcus Mariota went 15-of-21 (71.4%) against the Raiders last week.
Opponents have picked on second-year cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly quite a bit. He has been targeted a team-high 17 times, allowing 10 catches for 157 yards and a passer rating of 89.6. He gave up three catches for 74 yards against Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin, including a 56-yard catch.
Blu Kelly and the rest of the secondary will be tested Sunday. Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze has 227 yards and is tied for the most touchdown receptions in the league with four. Rookie Luther Burden III had 101 yards and a touchdown in Chicago's Week 3 win over the Cowboys.