Whoever comes up short in the matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Giants will be positioned to control the race for the No. 1 overall pick entering the final week of the 2025 NFL season.
From an organizational standpoint, landing that spot would benefit the Silver and Black. Las Vegas need a quarterback who can energize their fanbase, and Indiana Hoosiers’ Fernando Mendoza fits that role.
With Geno Smith failing to provide a long-term solution, Mendoza could give the Raiders a fresh start and make the team more appealing to a young, offense-focused coach if they decide to part ways with Pete Carroll. That said, players currently in the locker room, including Smith and Maxx Crosby, are focused on competing and have little concern for draft implications.
“I don’t give a sh– about the pick,” Crosby told reporters on December 23. “To be honest, I don’t play for that. That’s not my job. My job is to be the best defensive end in the world, and that’s what I focus on every day: Being a great leader, being an influence, and being that guy on a consistent basis for my team.
“That’s their job. That’s the front office; the coaches do that. But that’s got nothing to do with me. I’ve learned that lesson in the past. You can’t control everything. And that’s not my job description. My job is to be the best in the world at what I do, and that’s wrecking the game.”
Raiders QB Geno Smith Doesn’t Hold Back on Tanking Talk
Smith, who spoke with reporters on December 23, also stated that he pays no attention to any of the draft talk surrounding this game against the Giants.
“We play to win,” Smith said (h/t Vegas Sports Today). “We deserve to go out there and have a chance to win. And so we play to go out there and win. A lot of guys work hard, extremely hard. Unfortunately, the season’s going the way that it’s going, but we put ourselves in this position and we got to finish the season out the right way. And so that’s what we’re focused on inside the locker room.”
Pete Carroll Talks About the Raiders Tanking Against Giants
On December 22, Carroll spoke with reporters about the matchup against the Giants, which has implications for the No. 1 pick. He offered his perspective on how the team plans to approach their final two games, despite fans largely hoping for a tanking outcome.
“I’m not really that concerned about any of that,” Carroll told reporters. “I don’t think you want me to be. We’re going to go play and play the best we can and see what happens.”
The Raiders are going to play hard, which is why they nearly pulled off the upset win over the Houston Texans in Week 16. Ashton Jeanty put the Raiders’ offense on his shoulders as the team fell short, losing 23-21 to the Texans on December 21 at NRG Stadium.
Jeanty rushed for 128 yards on 24 carries, averaging 5.3 yards per attempt, and scored a touchdown on the ground. He also caught one pass for 60 yards, adding a receiving touchdown to his stat line.
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