The Raiders have had few moments this season that felt meaningful in a positive way, but in Week 14 something changed, even if only briefly.
Their loss to the Denver Broncos dropped them to 2-11, another long afternoon in a year filled with them, yet the tone shifted when Geno Smith went down and Kenny Pickett jogged onto the field.
The former first round pick, who has spent most of his time in Las Vegas fighting for footing, finally had a stage to show what he could offer. Pickett did not hold back when discussing what the moment meant.
“It’s a great opportunity. All you can ask for is an opportunity. I’ve got enough to make the throws, I’m confident I can get the ball around the field where I need to. Definitely confident in what I can do,” Pickett said while addressing the media.
His confidence was not new. Pickett proved he could carry a heavy load during a critical game for the Eagles in 2024, when he completed 25 of 42 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns in a Week seventeen matchup that locked up the NFC East title.
Carroll’s evaluation hints at a larger opportunity
That memory resurfaced quickly in Denver. Entering with the Raiders trailing and the offense stuck in neutral, Pickett completed eight of eleven passes for 97 yards, threw for a touchdown, scrambled for six yards, and helped the team post ten fourth quarter points.
“He’s active. He’s quick. He’s really athletic. He’s a good thinker. He’s a really clearly competitive guy that gets situational football and knows what’s going on. … I see nothing but positive stuff and his mentality, I’m coaching the hell out of him because I want him to be ready if the opportunity pops,” the Raiders head coach Pete Carroll said of Pickett.
Carroll went further, calling Pickett‘s touchdown throw “exquisite.” The praise did not sound routine. It came across more like a coach who sees something he wants to cultivate rather than someone simply acknowledging a solid quarter.
Carroll stressed Pickett‘s mobility and feel for the game, hinting that he views him as someone who could do more if circumstances break his way.
Those comments matter for a franchise that has cycled through backup quarterbacks without much clarity about who could help in a pinch. Pickett may have changed that conversation with one extended appearance.
Even so, Carroll stopped short of confirming who would start in Week fifteen. Smith‘s lingering injury complicates the decision, and the Raiders are well past the point where wins and losses affect postseason plans.
That is why many fans expected a more definitive sign that Pickett had earned another shot. Instead they heard something else.
“I’m going to do what I think is the right thing to do, and if Geno can play, that’s my thought. I know Kenny can play, and our players understood it too, that Kenny did a good job, and they recognized that in the locker room after the game. But I’m rooting for Geno to get back out there and see how he does,” he said.
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