As the season winds down for the Las Vegas Raiders, things are getting highly intriguing. For one, what’s going to happen with the starting quarterback position? You also have a fan-favorite and decorated retired NFL veteran continuing to speak his mind.
At long last, the Raiders appear ready to make a quarterback decision. Fittingly, it came not through conviction or vision, but via Geno Smith’s injury report. Raider Nation has spent most of the season begging for a change under center. It turns out medical necessity was the only thing strong enough to force one.
The 2025 season has been an “evaluation year” since roughly Week 6. That should bring clarity. It should mean prioritizing youth, experimentation, and answers over loyalty to veterans whose futures in Las Vegas are, at best, theoretical. Kenny Pickett’s brief but competent showing against Denver only underscored that point. Even if Smith were healthy, this conversation should already be happening.
On Sunday’s postgame show, Hall of Fame cornerback Eric Allen did what the organization has largely avoided. He trusted his eyes. From a defensive standpoint, Allen pointed to Pickett’s mobility, quicker release, and improved tempo. The offense looked different. It looked functional. That matters behind an offensive line too battered to protect a stationary quarterback for long.
This is not a radical stance…
Raider Nation has been yelling some version of it into the void all season. Aidan O’Connell lacks mobility, but he processes quickly. Pickett moves better and gets the ball out. Geno Smith does neither consistently behind this line. The results have been predictable, if not painfully repetitive.
The timing matters. Philadelphia awaits in Week 15, armed with one of the league’s most violent defensive fronts. If Smith is less than 100 percent, starting him would border on reckless. Even if he were fully healthy, asking him to survive four quarters against the Eagles feels less like strategy and more like resignation. Pickett, at least, gives the offense a chance to function—if not thrive, then breathe.
Of course, head coach Pete Carroll may resist. If Pickett performs well, uncomfortable questions will follow about why it took an injury to get here. Carroll has never been one to rush change, even when the clock is clearly expired.
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Pickett and the Raiders could absolutely struggle…
That outcome exists.
But after 13 games, Raiders fans are confident they already know how a Smith-led offense fares in this matchup. Pickett also carries upside: competence, surprise, and perhaps even future value. A strong showing could make him a free-agent asset or a viable bridge option alongside a rookie quarterback next season.
The Raiders have little to lose and clarity to gain. Eric Allen sees it. The fan base sees it. The only remaining question is whether the head coach does.
Speaking of “seeing things,” another Raiders legend is calling it how he sees it.
Richie Incognito lets the coaching staff have it…
At 2–11, the Raiders’ problems are no longer subtle, and Richie Incognito has decided subtlety is overrated anyway. His endorsement of “Kenny Pickett szn” and sarcastic jab about Caleb Rogers’ supposedly disastrous practice cut to the heart of the issue: the Raiders keep confusing process with results—and losing both.
Rogers went from “too bad to play” to one of the few good linemen on the field as soon as injuries made it necessary. Pickett gave the offense a boost that it hasn’t had in a while. But the coaches spent most of the season protecting their reputations instead of looking at players’ skills. Incognito didn’t say anything Raider Nation hasn’t already been screaming. He just said it with receipts—and timing that made the point unavoidable.
Do you agree with Incognito, Raider Nation?
*Top Photo: Getty Images