HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — All indications since he joined the Raiders this year are that Geno Smith is popular and well-respected in the locker room, and his interactions with the media have mostly been positive.
But everyone has a breaking point, and Smith might have reached his on Sunday.
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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.”
It’s understandable why Smith is frustrated. This isn’t the kind of season he and coach Pete Carroll envisioned when the Raiders traded with Seattle to land him. Both had success with the Seahawks and had every intention of translating that to Las Vegas.
Smith even spoke at his introductory news conference of having “unfinished business.”
But 11 games and an NFL-high 13 interceptions later, his business with the Raiders may be closer to finished. Judging Smith as the starting quarterback is tricky, however, given how inept the offensive line — coached by Carroll’s son, Brennan — has been.
Smith had virtually no chance against Myles Garrett and the Browns’ pass rush, and as Carroll said Monday regarding the offensive line, “We got the guys we got.”
But Smith will have a new offensive coordinator and play-caller in Greg Olson, the interim replacement for Chip Kelly, who was fired Sunday night.
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Maybe Olson, in his third stint as the Raiders’ OC, will find a way to help Smith play better than he has to this point.
That Carroll has fired two coordinators in the same month — special teams boss Tom McMahon was let go on Nov. 7 — is more than telling. Carroll had never fired a coordinator in-season before he got to Las Vegas.
“I’m really surprised as well that this has happened, but I think our players deserve it, and our fans deserve that we give them our best shot, and that’s what competing is all about,” Carroll said. “It’s just a very difficult time to have to do this … but we’re 2-9. So, unfortunately, that’s where we are.”
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