Despite the fact that the Las Vegas Raiders are in the midst of a very bad season, and Geno Smith has been playing poorly, the team has shown little interest in making a quarterback change. However, they didn’t have a choice in Week 14 against the Denver Broncos.
Smith got knocked out of the game in the second half due to hand and shoulder injuries. Kenny Pickett finally got a chance to play and looked solid. He led the Radiers on a quick touchdown drive, which included a perfect touchdown pass to wide receiver Shederick Jackson.
Las Vegas traded a fifth-round pick for Pickett before the season to be Smith’s backup, but the team has been apprehensive to give him a chance.
In a lost season, it makes some sense to give a 27-year-old former first-round pick a chance over a 35-year-old quarterback. Raiders fans are certainly upset that Pickett didn’t get a chance sooner.
Raiders Fans Don’t Understand Why Pickett Hasn’t Played
Head coach Pete Carroll has remained committed to trying to win with veteran talent despite the team getting eliminated from the playoffs. He has maintained that Smith is the best option the team has at quarterback.
However, fans aren’t buying that after seeing Pickett play a full drive.
“Pickett throws a TD and Pete is shocked,” one fan wrote on X. “Pete is so freaking stubborn. Geno is done. Pete is done. Pete’s kids are done. Can’t imagine him staying around next year. Huge fear of that.”
“Raiders should have put Kenny Pickett in 8 games ago,” a fan wrote.
“Maybe Raiders should have started Pickett instead of Geno….,” another fan wrote.
“That drive from Kenny Pickett was better than anything geno Smith has done all season,” a fan commented.
Will Pickett Get a Chance to Start?
Carroll might not have to make a decision on who his starting quarterback is going to be if Smith’s injury is serious. If he has to miss time, Pickett will almost certainly be the starter.
However, there’s an argument that he should get a chance even if Smith is healthy enough to play. The Raiders can’t go to the playoffs, and Smith likely won’t be 100% by Week 15. The veteran has proven his toughness all season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him push to play.
For some reason, Carroll is very loyal to Smith and could allow him to start to finish the season. That makes little sense for the Raiders going forward, but there hasn’t been much about the team’s decision-making that is logical.
Pickett or Aidan O’Connell should be starting the rest of the way. The Raiders should place Smith on Injured Reserve and see if they have any juice with their younger quarterbacks. We’ve seen some former first-round pick quarterback fail with their first teams but find new life elsewhere. Perhaps there’s a chance Pickett could have a similar arc with the Raiders. Even if he ends playing worse than Smith, it’s not like Las Vegas has anything to lose.
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