Raiders report: One area where Pete Carroll grades out well this season

Pete Carroll is not the kind of old dog that won’t learn new tricks.

The Raiders coach admits there was a time when he would rely almost exclusively on instinct when gauging when to leave his offense on the field to go for it on fourth down.

But he isn’t one of the old-school coaches who have had to be pulled kicking and screaming into the current day of mathematics-focused decision making.

The Raiders rank high this season in fourth-down conversion attempts in situations where computer models suggest they should go for it.

One model even ranks Carroll atop the league’s coaches in that category, just ahead of the notoriously aggressive Dan Campbell of the Lions.

“I didn’t know where we were (in terms of rankings), but I know we’re very comfortable with the process and the situations,” Carroll said. “We’ve been through a million of them.”

He credits first-year research specialist Ryan Paganetti and his own son Nate Carroll, a game management coach and the team’s assistant quarterbacks coach, for helping coordinate the flow of information during a game that helps Pete Carroll ultimately make the decision.

“(My approach) has definitely has over the years, and it helps to have somebody that has good feel for that, and Nate’s really good at doing that, and he handles that in connection with the coaches,” Pete Carroll said. “They don’t have the (final) say, but we take their input when we can, but that’s how we work it out and we feel pretty clean.

“Ryan Paganetti helps us in a big way as well. And so, I feel like we’re really well prepared, and whatever happens, we feel pretty confident about making the choices.”

The process involves more than watching a player come up short of the sticks on third down and making a snap decision in seconds about whether to punt or leave the offense on the field.

“We try to get through everything we can think of, and when we can predetermine how we would go,” he said. “Then it’s a matter of when the opportunity arises.

“You capture what the thinking is, and then you go ahead and make the call. And there is some gut situations in here, and for years and years and years, that’s how I did it. I did it right from the gut, and now we have a nice group and nice connection.”

Quarterback Geno Smith said he appreciates the faith Carroll has shown in the offense as well as his ability to be forward-thinking.

“Coach is a Hall of Famer, one of the best coaches of all time,” Smith said. “And I think he knows what he’s doing. I know he knows what he’s doing.

“He’s done it for a long time, a lot longer than I have, a lot longer than I’ve been living. … You know, no one’s perfect, but I think for the most part, he’s got a really good handle on things.”

Injury report

The Raiders were down several receivers for Wednesday’s outdoor practice, the first session of the week in preparation for Sunday’s home game against the Broncos.

Wide receivers Alex Bachman (thumb) and Dont’e Thornton (concussion) were sidelined. Tight end Michael Mayer was also held out of practice with the ankle injury that caused him to miss last week’s game against the Chargers.

“It’s day-to-day,” Carroll said. “We have to wait and see.”

Guard Dylan Parham also missed the practice with a back injury, while Jordan Meredith was limited by his ankle injury.

Maxx Crosby (knee injury) and quarterback Geno Smith (foot) were both limited, though there is little concern about their availability.

‘It was pretty cool’

Star tight end Brock Bowers finally saw his highlight-reel touchdown catch from Sunday’s game against the Chargers.

It was difficult to avoid since it went viral on social media.

“It was pretty cool,” he said Wednesday.

Bowers had said in the locker room after the game he hadn’t watched it.

“I guess it was actually pretty good,” he followed up on Wednesday.

Carroll called the play “very unique.”

“You think about all the great catches that we’ve seen, so, so unique that he would catch it off the top of the turf,” Carroll said. “I thought it was one of the really excellent catches I’ve seen, and it’s because you never see anybody do it like that. Made it special even more so.”

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