The Las Vegas Raiders have yet to confirm which quarterback will start in Week 15 against the Philadelphia Eagles. If Geno Smith is sidelined with his injury, Kenny Pickett is expected to take the reins against his former team on the road.
Smith exited the Week 14 matchup with the Denver Broncos in the second half due to injury, allowing Pickett to step in. The former first-round pick completed 8 of 11 passes for 97 yards and threw a touchdown.
On the December 11 edition of the “Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast,” Raiders insider for On SI, Hondo Carpenter, shared what Pete Carroll and the coaching staff plan to do at quarterback for the contest against Philadelphia.
“Expect Kenny Pickett to be the starter,” Carpenter said. “Expect Aidan O’Connell to be the backup this weekend. Obviously, anything can change, but that’s the expectation.”
Kenny Pickett Talks About Possibly Facing Eagles
While December 12 could be the day the Raiders confirm who will start, on December 10, Pickett spoke with reporters and reflected on his time with the Eagles ahead of potentially facing them on December 14.
“All you can ask for is an opportunity,” Pickett said about potentially returning to Philadelphia to face the Eagles (h/t Vegas Sports Today). “It’s a great opportunity. Philly is an unbelievable place to play. I know the fans will be ready to go. They have a hell of a team. There’s not a ton of new faces on that team. There [are] a lot of really good players. I know the coaches and how prepared they’re going to be for the game…
“The dedication, the commitment from every position group. It was really player-led. That was a really cool thing. I think we had a great veteran leadership. A lot of those guys are still there. I know what’s on the other side. Nothing but respect for everyone over there.”
Pete Carroll Has Kept a Lid on the Raiders’ QB Plan
Throughout the week, Carroll has played his cards close to the vest when discussing who will start against the Eagles. Nonetheless, he did make it clear at times that, if healthy, Smith is the guy under center despite how poorly the veteran has played. Carroll recently addressed the quarterback situation during his “1 on 1” appearance, which was published on December 9.
“I was really thrilled for [Pickett] to get a chance to play,” Carroll said. “He looked terrific in practice; he runs well, moves well, and throws the ball effectively on the move, which he showed in the game—scrambling for a first down, I believe. He might have missed his first three passes, but then hit seven or eight in a row; he came on really strong and finished on a good note.
“Now we have to see how Geno is—how banged up he is. He’s taken a lot of hits and has a few different things he’s working on to get back. We’ll see how that goes. Kenny [took] over [on December 10] in practice and get going, and we’ll surely go slow with Geno as we bring him back.”
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