The Las Vegas Raiders are reeling after a humiliating 40–6 loss to the Indianapolis Colts, marking their fourth defeat in a dismal 1–4 start to the 2025 NFL season. The blowout exposed deficiencies in all three phases of the game, but the spotlight has landed squarely on quarterback Geno Smith, whose performance—and postgame comments—have sparked controversy among fans and analysts alike.
Entering the season, the Raiders’ offense was expected to be the team’s cornerstone. Instead, it has been a glaring weakness, averaging a paltry 16.6 points per game—30th in the NFL, ahead of only the Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans. The root of the problem? Geno Smith’s erratic play. The veteran quarterback leads the league with nine interceptions, including multiple-pick games in three of the Raiders’ five contests. His latest outing against the Colts was no exception, as he threw two more interceptions, further sinking the team’s hopes.
Smith has often been praised for taking accountability for his mistakes, but his postgame press conference after the Colts loss suggested a shift in tone. While discussing his first interception, Smith appeared to deflect blame, focusing on the process rather than the result.
“You saw the first one. The ball got tipped up in the air. It was a guy wide open in the back of the endzone. It would’ve been a touchdown,” Smith said. “I saw two or three of their balls get tipped up in the air. It’s just you got to go through the process, man. The result is what the result was, and we hate it, and I hate it the most, but the process is what I’m focused on. I feel like I did the right things on that play. I threw it to the open guy, and it wasn’t the result that I wanted. What am I going to say? Don’t throw it to the open guy? No, I’m going to throw it to the open guy, and nine times out of ten, hopefully, it’s a touchdown.”
While Smith’s frustration is understandable after such a lopsided loss, his comments about his second interception raised eyebrows—and tempers—among Raider Nation. In a surprising move, the 13-year veteran appeared to point the finger at rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr.
“The other one is a classic zone coverage. They’re blitzing off the slot, playing Cover 2. We got an option route, the guy knows he’s got to push up and sit,” Smith explained. “He’s got to be quick. I mean, this is the NFL. Again, I got a rookie receiver. We got to develop him. We got to learn. It’s not Dont’e’s fault. It’s not anyone’s fault. It’s life.”
While Smith was quick to add that the interception wasn’t Thornton’s fault, his decision to publicly highlight the rookie’s role in the play has drawn sharp criticism. Film analysis reveals that Smith stared down Thornton throughout the route and threw into double coverage, a decision that led directly to the turnover. Blaming a rookie for a veteran’s mistake—especially in such a public forum—has left fans and analysts questioning Smith’s leadership.
Thornton, a first-year player still finding his footing in the NFL, has had a slow start to his career. For Smith to call him out, even indirectly, feels like a breach of the veteran’s responsibility to mentor and protect younger teammates. The quarterback’s comments, delivered in a moment of frustration, suggest an attempt to shift at least some of the blame onto Thornton, which is a bad look for a player expected to be a locker-room leader.
The Raiders’ nightmare start to the 2025 season has emotions running high, and Smith’s comments reflect the mounting pressure within the organization. While he may not have intended to throw Thornton under the bus, his words have fueled a narrative of dysfunction in Las Vegas. Fans are already calling for the team to bench Smith, arguing that his poor play and questionable leadership are holding the team back.
With a 1–4 record and a long season ahead, the Raiders face an uphill battle to salvage their campaign. For Smith, repairing his relationship with teammates and regaining the trust of Raider Nation will be critical. The veteran quarterback needs to lead by example—both on the field and in the press room—if he hopes to turn the tide for this struggling franchise.