You wouldn’t think that Las Vegas Raiders fans are concerned about potentially winning a game, but alas, this is where we are at. With Kenny Pickett trending towards taking over for Geno Smith, could something be amiss with the Silver and Black?
Not long ago, Pickett won a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles—albeit as a backup. Now, with the Eagles next up for the Raiders, it seems fitting that Pickett could seek some revenge against the organization that moved on from him. Still, these Eagles haven’t looked like themselves lately; perhaps the Raiders are catching them at the right time.
Kenny Pickett might screw up the “tank” for the Raiders…
Here’s the thing: At this juncture, many within Raider Nation probably wish these were the Eagles that dominated the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. A win could have severe consequences in terms of the NFL draft. More than ever, the Raiders need a long-term solution at quarterback, but a meaningless win will set them back and potentially put them out of the top three by the time the season concludes.
As for Smith, his shoulder injury appears to be serious enough to warrant missing a game. Say what you will about Smith, but he’s played through some pain this season, a lot of it stemming from taking so many sacks. Something had to give.
If the former NFL Comeback Player of the Year is done, Pickett could feasibly finish out the season for the Raiders. There’d be zero upside in trotting an injured Smith out there in these remaining games, well, unless you believe him to be some kind of “tank commander.” Pickett, a former first-round pick himself, is only 27. He appeared in five regular-season games with one start—that game being a blowout at the hands of the Dallas Cowboys.
In case you were wondering how bad things have been under Smith, the Raiders’ offense hasn’t scored more than 17 points since Week 9. Many fans are rooting for losses here on out, but what if Pickett suddenly energizes this team? Left tackle Kolton Miller suddenly returned to practice around the same time as this development surrounding Smith occurred. Pickett might already be lighting a spark under his team.
*Top Photo: Joe Sargent/Getty Images