In the second half of the Las Vegas Raiders‘ Week 10 loss to the Denver Broncos, Geno Smith got banged up. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett briefly went into the game before Smith forced his way back in.
However, it was clear that he wasn’t close to 100%. Smith was limping heavily, and it only seemed ot get worse as he kept playing. Despite his obvious injury, the quarterback kept coming back onto the field.
Clearly, he wasn’t going to pull himself for the game, and it’s head coach Pete Carroll’s job to protect him. He chose to let Smith make the decision for himself. Radio host Craig Carton took Carroll to task for his decision-making.
“So you’re in a tight ball game, a ball game that you have a chance to win and kind of ruin the Denver Broncos’ attempt to get another game ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs and solidify themselves as a playoff team,” Carton said on “The Craig Carton Show.” “And I know Kenny Pickett sucks also, but Kenny Pickett was able to walk.
“Yeah, Geno Smith couldn’t walk. Either Pete Carroll is senile, and he’s about 80 years old, and maybe he is senile and he’s not paying attention to what’s happening on the field of play, or he wants Geno Smith to get killed. Pete Carroll’s done. It is time for someone to put him out to pasture like we do with a five-year-old thoroughbred; it’s time to say good night, Pete.”
Should Smith Have Been Pulled From the Game?
In hindsight, Smith should’ve definitely been removed from the game, considering the Raiders lost. Even before the injury, he was playing poorly enough to warrant a change.
Smith does deserve credit for his display of toughness, but the team may have been better off with Pickett in at quarterback. However, Smith likely wasn’t going to willingly take himself out.
“That’s just kinda how I’m wired,” Smith said after the game. “I never want to leave my teammates out there alone. I feel like it’s a big responsibility of mine to be out there and to do whatever I can to help us win. I felt like I could try to tough it out, and that’s what I tried to do.”
Carroll Explained Why Smith Stayed In
Carroll and Smith clearly have a close relationship. Many other coaches likely would’ve benched the quarterback already due to poor play, but Carroll is committed to Smith.
The good news is that Smith didn’t appear to suffer a long-term injury against Denver.
“He wanted to go back in, in the worst way,” Carroll said. “He wanted to finish the game for his teammates. And he got wacked in the quad, got a quad bruise or something. That is just him fighting, and yeah, go back out, you know what I mean, who knows? It is just about completing and battling. He had a couple of plays, and then we were not able to answer the next time out. He tried. It is a thigh bruise. This is one he cannot get back from.”
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