Raiders report: Team apologizes for Geno Smith’s obscene gesture

Raiders fans started expressing their displeasure with quarterback Geno Smith from the moment he was introduced before Sunday’s game against the Browns at Allegiant Stadium.

Smith’s frustration with the boos finally bubbled over after the game when he appeared to make an obscene gesture in the direction of fans as he exited the field after a 24-10 loss.

“The Raiders are aware of an obscene gesture made by Geno Smith towards fans following Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium,” the team said in a statement. “We are disappointed in his actions and have discussed the incident with Geno. We hold the Raider Nation in the highest regard and take this matter seriously.”

Smith was sacked 10 times, and the Raiders (2-9) were held to 4-for-17 on third downs. Their only touchdown came late in the fourth quarter with the game in hand for Cleveland (3-8).

It was not the first time this season Smith has made the gesture. An incident took place in his return to Seattle during the preseason when a Seahawks fan taunted Smith and held up a sign comparing him to former Raiders top pick JaMarcus Russell.

Tight end Brock Bowers, who had six catches for 55 yards Sunday, said it was difficult to hear the boos that grew louder throughout the game.

“It’s definitely rough hearing,” he said. “We have to do better for them. We need their support.”

Bowers insists the team has stayed together and is still pushing in the same direction to try to improve.

“It’s definitely super frustrating,” he said of the mounting losses. “Everyone is trying as hard as they can. No one is here BSing. Everyone wants to win so bad. It’s just not coming together on game day.”

Back in the middle

Rookie offensive guard Caleb Rogers, a third-round pick, stepped on the field and started going through a warmup in preparation for his NFL debut as guard Jordan Meredith’s ankle injury was being checked out.

But it was not in the cards.

Rogers was called back to the sideline, and the Raiders put Will Putnam, who started at center and left with an ankle injury, back in at guard.

Alex Cappa, who has played guard for his entire career, had entered the game at center for Putnam and remained there.

“We thought our best shot was to keep Jordan playing at guard,” Carroll said of Meredith, who has now started back at guard the past two weeks after spending the entire season as the starting center. “We thought, based on our practice time and evaluation, that it was better to have Jordan there and have (Cappa) jump in at center.”

Cappa said the last time he played center in a game was preseason of his rookie year in 2018.

“But I’ve been practicing a lot to be ready in any role I can to help my team, so I felt ready,” he said. “I’ll do anything to help my team. It doesn’t matter.”

It seems Carroll will also do anything to avoid putting Rogers in a game, but he left the door open to Rogers and fellow third-round offensive tackle Charles Grant getting some reps. But they will have to be earned.

“You could just try something else, but we watch practice every day, and we watch the film,” Carroll said. “We do our work to make our evaluations, and those guys are going to have their day. They’re going to have their time, maybe sooner than later, but based on what we’ve seen and what we know, we give it the best shot we can.”

Showing off the hands

Defensive end Charles Snowden stepped in front of a Shedeur Sanders pass in the first half and recorded his first career interception.

Several teammates were huddled around watching the replay on his phone in the locker room after the game.

“I used to play receiver back in high school, and watching it back, I probably could have kept it off my body with my hands,” Snowden said. “Then I would have liked a few more yards on the return, but I’ll take it.”

The real work came in the film room. Snowden said the play was a route concept several other teams had run against the Raiders and one he knew was in the Browns’ repertoire.

“I kind of knew what the quarterback would be looking at based on my drop, so I kind of got greedy and tried to steal one,” he said.

Fellow defensive end Maxx Crosby and Snowden each has an interception this season, the first time the Raiders have had two linemen with an interception since Chris Cooper and Darrell Russell in 2001.

Stout up front

Crosby and Snowden were part of another solid day for the defense, which recorded 11 tackles for loss. It was the most for the Raiders in a game since 2015, and they are now third in the NFL with 68 this season.

The run defense held Cleveland to 2.4 yards per carry and is now third in the league with opponents averaging 3.7 yards per rush.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.