The Las Vegas Raiders entered the 2025 NFL season with much more optimism than they had in years past. Unfortunately, that optimism has not panned out well.
Pete Carroll and company have started off the season with a 2-7 record. To kick off Week 10 NFL action, the Raiders ended up losing an AFC West rivalry matchup on the road against the Denver Broncos.
Nothing has gone according to plan for Las Vegas. Geno Smith has not been playing well and the team as a whole has not lived up to its potential. Against the Broncos, some bad news made the loss even worse.
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Jackson Powers-Johnson, the team’s starting right guard, went down with an ankle injury during the game. Carroll spoke out with an update about his status following the game.
It sounds like the Raiders will have to play without Powers-Johnson for a while. Carroll did not hold back from sharing the news in his post-game press conference.
“He hurt his ankle,” Carroll said. “He’ll be out for a while.”
That is not a good update on a player who has been a key part of the team’s offense. With the struggles the offense has already had, losing a key offensive lineman is never a help.
At this point, no further timeline has been given for Powers-Johnson to return to the field. That timeline should be made more clear in the coming days.
Against Denver, Las Vegas saw Smith struggle once again. He completed 16 of his 26 passes for 143 yards, no touchdowns, and an interception. Ashton Jeanty, the Raiders’ rookie first round pick, carried the football 19 times for 60 yards and a touchdown.
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So far this season, there have not been very many reasons for fans to be optimistic about the future. That could change quickly, but Carroll and the Raiders have a lot of work ahead of them to turn the franchise back into a contender.
Expect to hear more news about Powers-Johnson in the near future. For now, this is very disappointing news that will make things even more difficult on Las Vegas offensively. Hopefully, a positive injury timeline is provided in the coming days.
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