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HENDERSON, Nev. -- Geno Smith was fuming. His frustration couldn't be contained any longer. During the third quarter of the Las Vegas Raiders' matchup against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, Smith attempted a short pass to rookie wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr., who had two defenders in his vicinity. Smith's risky throw proved costly. Colts cornerback Mekhi Blackmon stepped in front of Thornton to secure an interception. Having thrown his second pick of the game, Smith walked to the sideline and slammed his helmet to the ground. When the Raiders acquired Smith in March, he was meant to help coach Pete Carroll fast-track the process of turning the organization into an immediate contender. Smith's past three seasons as a starter for the Seattle Seahawks, and his strong relationship with Carroll, sold Las Vegas that he was the right guy for the job. However, during Las Vegas' 1-4 start, Smith has handicapped the offense more than providing a spark. The Raiders' 40-6 loss to Indianapolis marked the third time that Smith has thrown multiple interceptions in a game this season. He only did so eight times in 52 starts with the Seahawks. His nine interceptions are a league-high and the most by any Raiders quarterback in the team's first five games of a season since Jim Plunkett in 1982 (9). "People get caught up in results, and they want to look at statistics and try to place blame, because that's just how life goes, right when you're in the position I'm in," Smith said. "I'm aware of the process, and I know exactly what I'm doing out there. Guys make plays on me, and I've got to be smarter with the ball in those situations." Smith is projected to finish the season with 3,998 yards, 20 touchdowns and 31 interceptions. The last player to throw at least 30 interceptions in a season was Jameis Winston, who threw 30 in his final season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2019.  He has repeatedly stated that he will address the turnover issues. Carroll and the rest of the staff have maintained their confidence in the 34-year-old quarterback to turn things around as well. But the problems have persisted, impacting Las Vegas' chances of turning its season around. "[Smith's] just got to keep doing it. He's got to stay with it," Carroll said. "We've got to continue to build around him, get the running game rolling, got to get our guys coming through on their plays and he's got to do his part also." Smith made a loud introduction in the Raiders' season-opening win over the New England Patriots. He completed 24 of 34 (70.6%) passes for 362 yards, a touchdown, an interception and a 67.8 QBR. He was effective in the intermediate and deep passing game. Smith finished with nine completions of 20-plus yards -- tied for the most in a single game by a Raiders quarterback since at least 1991. Since then, Smith has looked more like the player he was with the New York Jets during a 12-18 stretch as a starter from 2013-16, instead of the version that was a two-time Pro Bowl selection. During the Raiders' four-game losing streak, Smith has completed 82 of 129 passes (63.6%) for 814 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions. He has a quarterback rating of 30.3 -- third-worst among starting quarterbacks, ahead of Bengals' Jake Browning (25.2) and Joe Flacco (22.8). The Raiders' loss to Indianapolis marked the third time in four weeks that Smith has recorded a QBR below 30. As for the intermediate and deep passing game, Smith has regressed. From 2022-2024, Smith had a passer rating of 109.2 and a completion rate of 52.7% on pass attempts for 10-plus air yards. In 2025, Smith has a completion rate of 39.3%, a 51.9 passer rating and eight interceptions on attempts for 10-plus air yards. Smith has struggled with pre-determined throws, staring down targets, throwing into tight windows and holding the ball too long -- all of these issues were noticeable against the Colts. During the Raiders' opening drive, they reached the Colts' three-yard line when Smith was sacked for an 11-yard loss. Had he released the ball sooner, tight end Ian Thomas was open underneath. Smith's average time to throw is 2.97 seconds -- fourth-highest in the NFL. "There's a timing aspect to all those things, so it's just the more familiar we get with him," offensive coordinator Chip Kelly said. "This is the same guy who was ripping the ball all over the place in the Patriots game... I don't think Geno is holding onto the ball, so I don't think he needs to get the ball out quicker. That's not the case at all."  Smith had bad luck during Las Vegas' second trip to the red zone. His pass attempt to Jack Bech in the end zone was tipped by Colts defensive lineman Grover Stewart before being intercepted by edge rusher Laiatu Latu. The Raiders were 31st in red zone conversion rate (35.7%) entering Week 6. In the third quarter, Smith had tight end Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. wide open across the middle. Instead, he threw the ball deep to Bech, resulting in an incompletion. Later, the Colts were in Cover 2 when Smith threw his second interception. Smith said Thornton had an option route and was meant to push up the field and sit. Blackmon's pick was returned to Las Vegas' 6-yard line, gifting the Colts' offense solid field position to eventually score. Smith has had a hard time against Cover 2 this season. He has thrown for 186 yards and five interceptions with a passer rating of 44.2 against that particular coverage. He could've thrown three interceptions against Indianapolis. In the fourth quarter, Smith attempted a touchdown pass to Okwuegbunam in double coverage, but the ball was dropped by safety Nick Cross. "It hasn't been easy. It's been tough to get the big plays in the last couple of weeks that give you the easy scores," Carroll said. "...He cares so much and it's so important to him to try to come through for everybody else." Although the interceptions have mounted, Carroll is not at the point where it is a serious concern. "I don't have a gauge for that. I've never gotten to that point," Carroll said. Carroll strongly believes Smith is still the team's best option at quarterback. He did consider turning to backup quarterback Kenny Pickett last week, but that was only because the game was out of reach. Smith said that the struggles are a part of the process. He is leading a new offense with a new offensive coordinator in Kelly. Smith is relying on two rookie wide receivers (Thornton and Bech), Jordan Meredith is playing center for the first time and right tackle DJ Glaze is just in his second season in the league. It also doesn't help that left tackle Kolton Miller is on the injured reserve with a sprained ankle and tight end Brock Bowers is currently sidelined with a knee injury. When Bowers was playing, he was unable to play at full strength and create separation to the best of his ability. "I mean, this is the NFL. ...I got a rookie receiver. We've got to develop them, we've got to learn. And it's not Dont'e's fault, it's not anyone's fault, it's life," Smith said. "What I'm doing here is I'm learning a lot through these experiences. And as I go through life, I really enjoy that part of it. It's the experience [that's] going to make me better. Somewhere down the line, we look back at this and say, 'You know, those moments made us better.'" Carroll said the team has to run better to help Smith get into a rhythm. Over the last two games, Las Vegas has averaged 173 yards -- second-best in the league. Meanwhile, the offensive line is sixth in run block win rate (75.1%). Despite the Raiders finally making strides in the ground game, Smith has thrown five interceptions during this stretch. "We don't want to ever rely on the quarterback having to do the whole show," Carroll said. "...We've got to make sure [we] get him in the right spots and give him the best chance to stay out of harm's way. And part of that is really controlling the game with what we do up front in the running game."  The offense has had its moments in recent weeks. On the first play against the Colts, Smith completed a 29-yard pass to running back Ashton Jeanty on a wheel route. In the previous week, Jeanty put together one of the best performances by a Raiders rookie, recording 158 total yards and three touchdowns. Against the Commanders, Tre Tucker recorded eight catches for 145 yards and three scores. Collectively, the group has yet to find consistency. "We've got explosive plays. We'll do great things in spurts, but it's not consistent enough," Smith said. "That's where we're failing." Smith is at the center of the Raiders' offensive issues so far, and he knows that. He hasn't shied away from accountability amidst his struggles. But if the Raiders want to find consistency, it starts with Smith taking better care of the football. So far, it's been easier said than done. "I never want to make excuses for anything. I don't believe in that," Smith said. "...It's an imperfect game and we got to find ways to win regardless of what happens."
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