Raiders are still AFC West basement-dwellers after no-show vs. Commanders

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Raiders are still AFC West basement-dwellers after no-show vs. Commanders

Enzo Flojo, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Sep 22, 2025 ·

4 min read

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The post Raiders are still AFC West basement-dwellers after no-show vs. Commanders appeared first on ClutchPoints .

The Las Vegas Raiders entered Week 3 seeking a statement win and instead walked off the field humiliated. Facing a Washington Commanders team without its starting quarterback or featured running back, the Raiders delivered their worst performance of the young season. It was a collapse that revealed systemic flaws across coaching, execution, and discipline. For a team hoping to contend in the AFC West, the 41-24 defeat was a sobering reality check.

Raiders crumble in all phases

The Raiders were utterly outclassed . With backup quarterback Marcus Mariota leading the way, Washington leaned on a punishing ground game and timely passing. He accounted for two touchdowns. One was through the air and another on the ground. Meanwhile, special teams delivered a backbreaker with Jaylin Lane's 90-yard punt return for a score.

Las Vegas looked overmatched in every phase. The offensive line collapsed, giving up five sacks on Geno Smith . The defense had no answers as Washington piled up 201 rushing yards on 32 carries. Even Tre Tucker 's three-touchdown performance offered little consolation. All of his scores came after the outcome was essentially decided. The Commanders cruised to a dominant victory, leaving the Raiders reeling and searching for solutions.

Here we'll try to look at and discuss why the Las Vegas Raiders are still AFC West basement-dwellers after no-show vs. Commanders.

Chip Kelly 's offense lacks identity

On paper, 24 points with no turnovers looks like progress. However, anyone who watched Sunday's game knows the Raiders' offense remains broken. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly has yet to adjust to the offensive line's deficiencies, and his situational play-calling continues to baffle. Using Zamir White and Dylan Laube in short-yardage spots instead of Ashton Jeanty was questionable at best. Also, Smith spent much of the afternoon under siege because protections never seemed to improve.

The Raiders actually outgained Washington through the air. That's with Smith completing 19 of 29 passes for 289 yards, including three touchdown strikes to Tucker. Still, the big picture tells a different story. The Raiders offense went scoreless when the game was within reach and repeatedly stalled under pressure. Balance is a word Pete Carroll keeps preaching. That said, with Jeanty averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and no consistent push up front, this offense can't sustain drives. Without a clear strategy from Kelly, the Raiders remain predictable and limited.

Patrick Graham's defense gets bullied

If the offense was uninspiring, the defense was downright embarrassing. Everyone in the stadium knew Washington would lean on the run. The Raiders, though, acted like they hadn't prepared for it. The Commanders gashed them for over 200 rushing yards, repeatedly breaking tackles and exploiting wide-open lanes.

The lack of communication was glaring. Missed assignments and poor angles turned routine plays into chunk gains. Meanwhile, Mariota comfortably managed the game without needing to force throws. The journeyman backup controlled the tempo as if he were a franchise starter. When your defense looks unprepared against a predictable game plan, that points directly to coaching. Graham's unit didn't just bend. They broke, and badly, too.

Special teams disaster

The Raiders' special teams turned the game from bad to unwatchable. The nightmare began on the opening kickoff. That was when Washington's Deebo Samuel ripped off a 69-yard return to set up a short touchdown drive. Things only unraveled from there. The backbreaker came in the second half, when Jaylin Lane housed a 90-yard punt return to put the Commanders firmly in control.

We also saw how routine plays can become misadventures. AJ Cole punted well statistically, averaging 49 yards on six boots. Still, coverage units repeatedly allowed long returns. Kick return decisions were equally poor, from White mishandling one to Laube bringing another out of the end zone when he should have taken a touchback. Special teams are supposed to provide hidden yardage. Instead, they handed Washington free points and momentum.

A comprehensive loss raises alarm bells

When you lose by 17 to a team missing its best offensive weapons, the finger can't point to just one culprit. The Raiders were outplayed and outcoached in all three phases. Smith was constantly pressured behind a sieve of an offensive line. The run game lacked punch. The defense gave up 34 points while facing a backup quarterback. Special teams spotted Washington two huge returns, including a backbreaking touchdown.

Tucker's three scores provided a highlight reel. However, his production came too late to matter. The bigger takeaway is that Las Vegas never looked competitive. Pete Carroll's squad wasn't just beaten. It was dominated in every aspect of the game.

For the Raiders, this was more than a disappointing performance. It was a flashing red warning sign. Without immediate fixes to the offensive line, defensive scheme, and special teams execution, the Raiders risk spiraling into another lost season.

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