After a disappointing performance in the second half of the Monday Night Football doubleheader, the football world is wondering what is going on with Geno Smith. The two-time Pro Bowler had a disappointing performance against the Los Angeles Chargers, completing 24-of-43 passes for 180 yards with three interceptions. In addition, he took three sacks and looked nothing like the efficient playmaker Pete Carroll had handpicked to be the Raiders' franchise quarterback.

Given Smith's uncharacteristic performance in a primetime game, I decided to dig into the tape see why the veteran struggled against Jesse Minter and the Chargers defense. After reviewing my notes, here are my thoughts on Smith's struggles in Week 2:

Smith's aggressiveness backfired against the Chargers' zone defense

The Chargers are a zone-based coverage unit with the defenders adhering to a "vision-and-break" philosophy that encourages linebackers and defensive backs to keep their eyes on the quarterback. Moreover, the Chargers aim to test quarterbacks' patience and discipline by eliminating deep ball opportunities and forcing them to drive the length of the field through a series of short and intermediate passes.

By forcing Smith into a "dink-and-dunk" game, the Chargers were counting on the veteran to make mistakes on a handful of "hero" throws into tight windows. After watching the All-22 coaches' footage, Smith played into the Chargers' hands with an aggressive approach that led to three interceptions on tipped or overthrown passes tossed into congested areas with multiple defenders around the targeted pass catcher.

While those tight window throws are a part of the NFL experience, Smith ascended to elite ranks by becoming efficient with downfield throws. Over the past three years, he has compiled a 109.2 passer rating on throws for 10-plus air yards, per ESPN Research. The veteran's effective downfield passing was neutralized by the Chargers' soft zone coverage, which took away the deep throws and dared Smith to take checkdown after checkdown.

Looking back at each of Smith's interceptions, the veteran opted for the high-risk, high-reward throw instead of settling for a shorter pass with a higher efficiency rate. On his first interception, Smith attempted to deliver a dart to Tre Tucker on a seam route following a play-action fake. Chargers safety Alohi Gilman read Smith's eyes and executed a perfect break on the ball, leading to a carom that landed in the hands of Daiyan Henley.

Smith's second interception was the result of a failed "hero" throw at the end of a scramble. The veteran attempted a heave down the field to Dont'e Thornton Jr. Tony Jefferson and Cam Hart sandwiched the rookie, before the 11-year pro snagged the interception on a spectacular over-the-shoulder catch.

On Smith's third interception, the veteran tried to squeeze the ball between multiple defenders to Jakobi Meyers for a potential touchdown. The errant toss bounced off Derwin James' hands and into the arms of Donte Jackson at the back of the end zone.

Overall, Smith's turnover spree was the result of the veteran attempting to do too much for his squad. Instead of sticking with the patient, disciplined approach that has served him well over the past few years, Smith attempted to play "hero" ball against the division rival and the decision resulted in poor performance from the veteran.

The Chargers' simulated pressures disrupted the O-line's flow

Credit Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter for utilizing some collegiate tactics to create chaos at the line of scrimmage. The Chargers' game plan featured a variety of simulated pressures that kept blockers guessing at the point of attack. Though a simulated pressure looks and feels like a blitz, it is a four-man rush with a second-level defender filling the role as the fourth rusher from depth.

With most offensive linemen locked into a matchup at the line of scrimmage, the Chargers' clever deployment of linebackers and safeties as pass rushers baffled the Raiders' frontline blockers. As the combination of pre-snap disguise and at-the-line movement made it challenging for the offensive line to identify potential rushers, the random "pop-outs" from interior defenders and edge rushers left Smith and Co. dazed and confused at times.

Moreover, the constant bluffing and disguising near the line of scrimmage prevented Smith from finding comfort within the pocket, leading to negative plays from the veteran. Given the five quarterback hits and three sacks produced by the Chargers, the "bluff and blitz" tactics from Minter created issues for the Raiders and their QB1.

The lack of a formidable running game put too much pressure on Smith to carry the offense

The Raiders want to be a run-heavy team under Carroll. The one-time Super Bowl champion believes the running game allows the Silver and Black to control the game, set up big play opportunities on play-action, and impose their will on opponents through physicality and toughness.

Against the Chargers, the Raiders mustered only 68 rushing yards on 19 carries, including 43 yards from Ashton Jeanty on 11 attempts. With meager production on the ground, the Raiders could not force the Chargers out of their soft zone coverage with the safeties positioned 10 to 12 yards from the line of scrimmage.

In addition, the lack of production on the ground resulted in Smith throwing 40-plus times against a formidable defense. Although Smith's experience and expertise can lead to gaudy numbers when he is asked to throw the ball around the yard, it is hard to successfully work against the Chargers' zone coverage without an effective rushing attack to counter their "bend but don't break" tactics.