The Las Vegas Raiders’ season reached a new low on Sunday as they were dominated by the Cleveland Browns 24-10 for their fifth consecutive loss and second straight by at least two scores. Browns rookie QB Shedeur Sanders getting his first win in his first career start is the major story, but on the other side of that is Raiders QB Geno Smith.
While Smith didn’t throw an interception, the Raiders’ offense struggled to get going, accumulating just 268 total yards. Making things worse for Smith was the fact that he was sacked 10 times in the game and was booed mercilessly by Raiders fans throughout the contest.
Unfortunately, Smith’s frustrations boiled over after the game as he was seen flipping off fans as he left the field on Sunday, via NBC Sports Philadelphia:
After he was sacked 10 times in a 24-10 loss to Cleveland and booed from the moment he was introduced, Smith was seen making an obscene gesture toward fans as he left the field. Shortly thereafter, his answers in the postgame news conference were uncharacteristically brief.
The Raiders pointed to a statement they issued to the Las Vegas Review-Journal regarding the incident with fans.
“We are disappointed in his actions and have discussed the incident with Geno,” the statement read. “We hold the Raider Nation in the highest regard and take this matter seriously.”
Smith’s frustrations are understandable, but you just can’t react in that way towards the fans. The quarterback has shouldered the brunt of criticism from fans, and while he has not performed up to standard, the Raiders’ issues stretch far beyond his play. The offensive line, questionable staff decisions and playcalling, and a lack of weapons have all contributed to this team’s struggles on offense.
Regardless, as the quarterback, Smith understands that the onus ultimately falls on him and has embraced that role. He simply let his emotions get the better of him, and he surely regrets it, but he will almost definitely be in line for a fine for that gesture.
Raiders fire offensive coordinator Chip Kelly following Browns loss
There are several reasons why the Raiders’ offense has struggled, and one person many have pointed to is offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. With the offense ranking near the bottom of the NFL in both points and total yards, the Raiders made the decision to fire Kelly as their offensive coordinator. The team did not announce who would be replacing Kelly and calling plays going forward.
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