There was a time where, when everything else was falling apart or coming up short, special teams remained stout for the Silver & Black.
Not under under Pete Carroll’s watch in 2025.
This rendition of the Las Vegas Raiders is bad in all three phases of the game — a feat that many other head coaches couldn’t attain. From the coverage units to the individual performances of kicker Daniel Carlson and punter AJ Cole III, Las Vegas’ special teams group has rolled snake eyes this season.
The downward trend
resulted in Tom McMahon getting the boot as special teams coordinator and Derius Swinton II taking over the reins as interim boss. And with either McMahon or Swinton, the results have been embarrassing.
Deonte Banks’ 95-yard kickoff return for the New York Giants last Sunday became the third special teams touchdown the Raiders allowed this year. The team is tied with three other squads (Giants and Cleveland Browns) with two punt return end zone visits allowed. The explosive plays yielded in the return game are a classic exhibit of lacking fundamentals (discipline and tackling, namely) in Year 1 of the Carroll era. And fundamentally sound football is what Carroll was supposed to instill in Las Vegas.
“We got blocked. Yeah, they blocked us,” Carroll said about the explosive return a day after Sunday’s gagme. “And Tommy (Eichenberg) who has had a terrific finish to this season on special teams, had a chance on the play. Jonny Rhattigan had a chance on the play, some guys had shots at it, and they blocked us really well and they hit it exactly right. The kick was just right for them to hit it full go. And all those factored into it, the guy came ripping through us.
“It was really a change in the game. 20-10 with a good drive, we didn’t get to feel it very long, but we felt like that was the statement we needed to make to build a comeback and then to be smacked in the teeth with that one, that was a tough one to take.”
Individually, Carlson and Cole haven’t been at the All-Pro level they’ve attained.
The 30-year-old placekicker is 18 of 23 (78.3 percent) on field goals in his eighth year (contract season) as a Raider and is 21 of 22 (95.5 percent) on point after attempts. And it’s unclear if Carlson will be re-upped and continue his tenure as Raiders kicker. The 30-year-old punter, meanwhile, is sporting a 47.3 yards per punt average with a total of 65 boots for 3,072 yards. Cole’s net average is a paltry 39.6 yards per punt (the average that subtracts return yardage and touchback yardage), thanks in large part to the two touchdown returns.
And both Carlson and Cole were adversely affected by the protection group around them as the Raiders have one blocked field goal and two blocked puts on the books in 2025.
There’s a particular special teamer that’s provided a boost: Second-year linebacker Tommy Eichenberg. Leading the team in special teams tackles at 21, the 2024 fifth-round pick has the third most in the NFL in that regard and is tops in Raiders history since at least 1994.
But Las Vegas will need more than Eichenberg’s walloping hits in the season finale. From coverage units to Carlson’s and Cole’s individual kicking games, the Raiders special teams group needs to be on point, even against an ailing Kanas City Chiefs squad.
The visiting Chiefs will be without return man and wide receiver Nikko Remigio (injured reserve; 29 kick returns for 741 yards, long of 4r7; 25 punt returns for 191 yards, long of 31), but rookie running back Brashard Smith is plenty capable as a return ma with his 4.39 40-yard timed speed. The 22-year-old seventh-round pick has 18 kick returns for 481 yards (long of 37) and just two punt returns for 55 yards (long of 44).
Some booming distance and hangtime from Cole along with lane discipline from the gunners and other special teams cover guys is going to be vital.
Quotes of Note
“Yes, and they all played extensively from what they had been playing yesterday. Yeah, we’d love to get those guys on the playing field. I don’t know if I’ll be able to pull it off, but I would love to say that everybody’s dressing that’s playing, everybody’s getting play time and getting a chance to contribute.”
—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on getting younger players playing time and subsequent film in preparation for the offseason
“Yes. Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. Maxx (Crosby) has been amazing, and I was right there with him fighting the decisions that came about. But when you’re in the middle of it like he is, you aren’t always going to be the clearest about — he’s willing to put his body on the line no matter what, and he was willing to do that no matter what, and I admire the crap out of his approach and his vision, and so the fact that he had to process it and get through it is totally understandable to me.”
—Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll on if everything has been settled with defensive end Maxx Crosby who was put in injured reserve
