Pete Carroll searches for answers as Raiders' dismal season continues
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL football game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Dallas Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium Monday, Nov. 17, 2025. Photo by: Steve Marcus
Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 | 8:35 p.m.
Pete Carroll, ever the optimist, continues to search for a winning formula for the Las Vegas Raiders.
Nothing has worked so far.
Carroll made two major decisions last month hoping to find a spark for what is now a 2-10 team. He fired special teams coordinator Tom McMahon and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly, so there aren't a lot of major moves he can make at the moment.
That leaves Carroll looking for other avenues to success for Las Vegas. But they are going to be hard to find for the rest of this season.
The Raiders are 7 1/2-point home underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, to Denver on Sunday. The rest of the schedule? At Philadelphia and Houston, and then home against the New York Giants and Kansas City.
The Giants also are closing out a rough season, but the Raiders likely will be substantial underdogs in the other three games. But it makes little difference in the big picture — outside of a more favorable draft position — if Las Vegas finishes with two or three victories.
The Raiders' last three-win season occurred in 2014, and the last time they won just two games was in 2006.
To put their dismal season in further context, the Raiders' 14.9 points per game is the third-worst in franchise history. The 2006 team averaged 10.5 points and the 2009 club averaged 12.3.
Carroll and his staff experimented with players on the offensive line in Sunday's 31-14 loss at the Los Angeles Chargers, and it didn't matter. Take away a 65-yard drive in the fourth quarter with the outcome well decided, and the Raiders gained just 91 yards.
The team is paying the price for what appears a subpar draft and disappointing free agent signing period.
“The message (to players) is we’re going to look at the stuff that we did well, that we liked and we can build from,” Carroll said. “We’ll look at the issues that we have to deal with. The balance on offense and running the ball, not being able to get that done. Third downs have been a problem. Show reasons why we keep believing.”
Carroll chooses to look at the positives because it’s in his nature.
He also doesn’t have a choice.