Raiders Rumors Swirl: Is Pete Carroll’s Job on the Line After 2-7 Start?

H2: Pete Carroll’s Raiders Hit Crisis Point in Year One The honeymoon between Pete Carroll and the Las Vegas Raiders is over. A 2-7 start, capped by last week’s 10-7 loss in Denver, has left the 74-year-old coach confronting the first genuine “hot seat” talk of his storied career. Carroll admitted Monday that his “level of concern is that we’re not scoring enough points,” a blunt description of an offense that ranks 31st in scoring, 30th in total yardage and 28th in red-zone efficiency through Week 11. H2: Why the Offense Has Stalled 1. Geno Smith regression: After a 362-yard opener, Smith has thrown 11 interceptions in eight games, including 10 against zone coverage, the most in the league. 2. Ground game gap: Rookie Ashton Jeanty averages just 3.8 yards per carry, hampered by a line already missing Kolton Miller and now Jackson Powers-Johnson. Jeanty’s 41 carries for no gain or loss lead the NFL. 3. Penalty plague: Las Vegas has wiped away two touchdowns and three gains of 20+ yards with offensive flags since Week 4. 4. Scheme fit questions: Chip Kelly’s shotgun-heavy approach (81.5 % of dropbacks) clashes with Carroll’s preference for under-center, run-first football, creating philosophical tension that has started to spill into press conferences. H2: Front-Office and Ownership Pressure Mounts Minority owner Tom Brady reportedly lobbied Carroll last week to simplify the playbook and commit to Jeanty after the Raiders yielded a season-high seven sacks against Chicago. Meanwhile, league insiders told Newsweek that “a shocking decision” on Carroll could come before Black Monday if the slide continues. H2: What Carroll Must Fix to Save His Job • Rediscover explosive plays: Smith averaged 9.2 air yards per attempt in Weeks 1-3 but only 4.9 since; Carroll says he wants “two deep shots per quarter” starting Monday night vs. Dallas. • Run to set tempo: Dallas ranks 28th against the run, giving Jeanty an immediate chance for a breakout that could protect a battered defense. • Clean football: The Raiders are minus-11 in turnover differential and average 7.4 penalties per game—both bottom-five league-wide. H2: Potential Coaching Fallout If owner Mark Davis moves on, league sources point to defensive coordinator Patrick Graham (interim) or Michigan coach Sherrone Moore as early favorites. Carroll, who signed for three years with a team option, would carry an $18.5 million dead-cap hit in 2026, a figure insiders say won’t deter a reset if fan sentiment turns toxic. H2: The Road Ahead Las Vegas faces Dallas, Kansas City, and Miami in successive weeks—opponents with top-ten offenses. To silence the hot-seat noise, Carroll likely needs at least two victories and noticeable offensive growth. Otherwise, the NFL’s oldest coach could make history again—this time as the first Raiders head man fired after one season since Mike White in 1995. For now, Carroll insists the Raiders are “pedal to the metal.” The next three weeks will show whether that engine still has enough horsepower to keep his silver-and-black tenure alive.