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5 Questions with Silver & Black Pride: Raiders fans feeling confident after first win under Pete Carroll
Source: https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/lo...-confident-after-first-win-under-pete-carroll
This week, we’re joined by Matt Holder of our Las Vegas Raiders sister site, Silver & Black Pride, to help us preview this week’s matchup.
Holder is as good as they come when the Raiders are involved so you’re sure to learn something about this matchup by the end of your read.
Let’s go ahead and jump in. Enjoy!
1.) The Raiders came winners against the Patriots in Week One. How is the fan base feeling after their first win under new head coach Pete Carroll? Did the team show enough to predict a better season than in 2024 or is it too early to tell?
Raider Nation is feeling pretty confident right now. Carroll, despite turning 75 years old on the day of the game, has injected a new energy into the team and that extended to the fanbase after the win in the season opener. Also, finally having a competent starting quarterback in Geno Smith helps, especially since Smith put the offense on his back last week and carried the team to victory.
It’s hard to get much worse than the 4-13 performance from a year ago, so the feeling is definitely that the Raiders will be better this season with a new head coach and quarterback. That being said, I think most fans are realistic about the roster and know the team is probably a year away from being a legitimate contender in the AFC. Most seem to agree that Las Vegas will be frisky and win a few games they shouldn’t, but will probably land in the eight-to-nine-win mark this season.
2.) Ashton Jeanty was the player everyone was waiting to see in Week One. How did his performance compare to expectation heading into the regular season? What did you like or dislike about his first real game in the NFL?
It was an underwhelming debut for Jeanty with 19 carries for just 38 yards (2.0 ypc). The offensive line was the bigger issue, though, as they struggled in the running game, so he didn’t have much room to run. However, I would like to see the rookie be more patient in the backfield to help set up the blocks, and Carroll even mentioned that this week. I am confident that Jeanty will fix the issue because he showed more patience at Boise State. I get the sense that he was just a little over-eager in his first real NFL game.
What I did like about Jeanty’s debut is that he showed some toughness to fight through contact and punch it in his first NFL touchdown. On that play specifically, he got contacted in the backfield but kept his legs moving to regain the lead that the Raiders never gave back. He also had a couple of nice nine-yard runs to provide some more encouragement moving forward.
3.) If you were Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman, how would you go about attacking this Raiders defense? Which players are you circling in the game plan to exploit or target?
I’d put Ladd McConkey in the slot and make the Raiders prove they can stop him. The defense doesn’t have a good nickelback option, which has forced the coaching staff to go back to a more “old school” approach of leaning heavily on base personnel (three linebackers, four defensive backs) and using nickel personnel (two linebackers, five defensive backs) as a sub package. In recent years, the trend around the league has been the opposite with how prominent the passing game has become.
So, McConkey can either draw matchups with linebackers and/or safeties, or a subpar nickel in Darnay Holmes. To put it in perspective, Holmes only participated in 21 out of 54 coverage snaps last week (all covering the slot) but gave up the most receiving yards on the team with 73, per Pro Football Focus.
4.) If you were Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, what are the answers to limiting Geno Smith, Brock Bowers, and the aforementioned Jeanty? Are there any other offensive players the Bolts will need to keep an eye on?
If you can get pressure on Smith early in the game, he’ll stop trusting the offensive line and start trying to play hero ball. That’s how a lot of his interceptions have come in the past, so I’d expect Minter to dial up some blitzes and simulated pressures to rattle the offensive line and Geno a bit. Additionally, that can help stop Jeanty, especially since the line is coming off a game where they were consistently getting stuffed in the running game.
Bowers is a tough one because he’s the definition of a matchup nightmare; too big for defensive backs and too athletic for linebackers. But the Chargers might have the perfect antidote in Derwin James Jr. The safety did a pretty good job of keeping Bowers in check during both games last year, so I’d make sure he’s constantly lined up across from the tight end.
One under-the-radar player Chargers fans should keep tabs on is wide receiver Tre Tucker. While Tucker only had two catches last week, he still recorded 54 yards and the team’s only receiving touchdown. Also, he was open on a few vertical routes and just didn’t get the ball, which I can chalk up to playing with a new quarterback. I expect Smith to see that on film and look for Tucker more often. In my opinion, the third-year pro is due for a breakout campaign this year and should become a good third option in the passing game behind Bowers and Jakobi Meyers.
5.) Go ahead and give us a short game prediction along with a final score. Who gets the win and sole possession of the AFC West after just two weeks of the 2025 season?
It pains me to say this, but 21-17 Chargers. I think this will be a close game and a lot of people are going to be surprised by Las Vegas hanging tough with Los Angeles, but I think the Raiders aren’t quite there yet. I hope I’m wrong, though!
Source: https://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/lo...-confident-after-first-win-under-pete-carroll