3 takeaways from Raiders’ loss: New QB can’t fix offense’s problems
PHILADELPHIA — New quarterback, same results.
The Raiders were overmatched again Sunday, falling to the Eagles 31-0 at Lincoln Financial Field for their eighth straight loss.
The team fell to 2-12 to stay in position for a top-two pick in the 2026 NFL draft.
Quarterback Kenny Pickett made his first start for the Raiders, replacing the injured Geno Smith, and found out what Smith probably already knew: The team’s offensive line isn’t very good, and there aren’t enough playmakers.
Smith was inactive with right shoulder and back injuries.
Pickett finished 15 of 25 for 64 yards and one interception. He was sacked four times.
The Raiders finished with 75 total yards in getting shut out for the second time this season. They are averaging 14 points a game.
“We needed to help the defense out,” said Pickett, the Eagles’ backup quarterback last season, when they won the Super Bowl. “We had to stay on the field and find a way to get into a rhythm, get those guys on the bench, and not out there for as long as they were, for this past however many weeks. I feel like they’re always out there, so we have to hold up our end and play complementary football.”
Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for three touchdowns, two to tight end Dallas Goedert on shovel passes, before being replaced by Tanner McKee early in the fourth quarter.
The Eagles, the defending Super Bowl champions, had lost three straight before dominating the Raiders. They improved to 9-5 and are in first place in the NFC East.
Here are three takeaways from the loss:
1. Offense’s problems start early
In falling behind 17-0 in the first half, the Raiders managed just 53 total yards, averaged 2.0 yards per play and mustered just 22 yards rushing.
Pickett threw for 55 yards and was sacked three times in the first half.
Then, on the Raiders’ opening drive of the second half, Pickett forced a throw to well-covered tight end Brock Bowers that ended up being an easy interception for linebacker Zack Baun.
“We just lacked explosive plays,” Pickett said. “Couldn’t stay on the field long enough, couldn’t help our defense out. Didn’t put points up, really everything. We just have to improve everywhere.”
The lack of a running game and the inability to sustain drives have been seasonlong issues. It has cost them time and again, and the Eagles took advantage.
“Our inability to just get the ball moving, where we have some kind of substance of a run game to play off,” coach Pete Carroll said. “When you don’t convert on third down, you just don’t get the chances. Unfortunately … it’s the same kind of story. That’s the result of what happens with us trying to move the football. The games kind of pattern themselves, and it’s not hard to see that. There’s no mystery there.”
2. Rough day for rookie
The recent season-ending patellar tendon injury to cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly meant more playing time for rookie cornerback Darien Porter. The Eagles wasted no time challenging him and came up with two big plays.
In the first quarter, Porter was beaten by speedy receiver DeVonta Smith for a 44-yard completion from Hurts. On that same drive, Porter was called for pass interference on a third and 6. The Eagles eventually kicked a field goal for a 10-0 lead.
In both instances, Porter’s youth and inexperience cost him by letting Smith and Darius Cooper get behind him.
That’s part of the risk of playing younger players. The hope is that Porter is better off for it at some point.
“He’s a rookie at the end of the day,” Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes said. “I know how it is to be a rookie, and this is only his third start, maybe. So there’s whole lot going on. You move on, you got to shake your head and just keep it pushing.”
3. Long scoring drives
The Raiders have had trouble getting teams off the field all season, and that continued Sunday when the defense gave up three touchdown drives of 10 or more plays.
On their first possession, the Eagles drove 67 yards on 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead on Hurts’ 4-yard throw to Goedert.
In the second quarter, they used 11 plays to drive 70 yards, capped by Saquon Barkley’s 2-yard touchdown run and a 17-0 lead.
Then, in the third quarter, the Eagles drove 73 yards on 10 plays for another 4-yard touchdown throw from Hurts to Goedert and a 24-0 lead.
Third downs again played a huge role. The Eagles converted first downs on 10 of their 13 while building their 31-0 lead.
The Raiders also had trouble against the run, allowing 183 yards on 47 carries, including 78 on 22 carries to Barkley.
The run game and third-down inefficiencies helped Philadelphia dominate time of possession by holding the ball for 39:25 to the Raiders’ 20:35.
That led to a high level of frustration in the Raiders’ locker room.
“I’ve learned very quickly through this season that you can only control what you can control,” defensive tackle Adam Butler said. “You can’t control other people’s job or what anybody else is doing. The only thing you can focus on is you.”
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.
