Spiraling at 2-11, the Las Vegas Raiders finally had one thing to be optimistic about in Week 14 after the loss against the Denver Broncos. The former first-round pick replaced an injured Geno Smith and gave his most forceful public message since landing in Las Vegas. On the very real possibility of starting against his previous team, the Philadelphia Eagles, Kenny Pickett was crystal clear.

“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.

Pickett’s already got a ring from his time with the Eagles in 2024, having proved he could deliver in big moments, completing 25-of-42 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 17 start that clinched the NFC East title against the Cowboys.

That poise was exactly what the Raiders needed. After Las Vegas put up just seven points across three quarters, Pickett injected life into the offense. He completed 8-of-11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown, added a six-yard scramble, and led the team to 10 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.

He went so far as to call Pickett’s touchdown throw “exquisite.”

That wasn’t hollow praise from Carroll. He made it a point to say he views Pickett as more than a placeholder. The veteran head coach praised Pickett’s explosiveness and his willingness to use his legs to help the quarterback position himself to take advantage should such an opportunity arise.

Comments like that are telling Pickett’s earned the staff’s trust, something that hasn’t always come easily for the backups in Las Vegas. But even in the wake of Pickett’s fourth-quarter spark, HC Carroll stopped short of naming him the Week 15 starter.

When asked if he’d consider riding the hot hand given the Raiders’ lost season and Smith’s lingering injury, Carroll’s response rankled many fans.

“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.

However, if Smith misses out, then the Raiders will surely move towards Pickett.

Geno Smith’s injury update

The quarterback situation in Las Vegas became murkier in the wake of the Week 14 Broncos loss, but clarity finally arrived this week: Geno Smith is not expected to play in Week 15.

The veteran suffered a right-shoulder injury late in the third quarter when he was driven into the turf on a short completion to tight end Brock Bowers. His shoulder “locked up,” according to Carroll, forcing him into the locker room and opening the door for Pickett’s late surge.

Initial tests showed Smith did not suffer major structural damage, a blessing considering how awkward the hit was. However, the injury is serious enough that the team doesn’t expect him to be ready in time for the next game.

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Before exiting the game, Smith completed 13-of-21 for 116 yards and a touchdown with a 92.6 passer rating. Incredibly, it marked the fourth game this season in which Smith did not throw an interception, one of the few bright spots in what has been an otherwise uneven campaign.

Still, the combination of Smith’s injury, the bleak record the Raiders have, and the encouraging performance put in by Pickett has created a clear narrative shift.