Whenever Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll ends up making his final decision on who will be starting at quarterback for Sunday afternoon's matchup with the Houston Texans, it will feel more like a punishment than an opportunity. That's not only because the Raiders have given up more sacks than any team in the NFL in 2025, but also because the Texans defense has clearly established itself as the league's most dangerous, dominant and destructive unit in the league.
Heading into this Week 16 matchup, the Texans are massive favorites, they'll probably win by a large number, and their defense will be wreaking havoc from the first snap to the final snap just like they do every week. Whether it's Geno Smith or Kenny Pickett who ends up being sacrificed to the swarming Houston D much like a sheep wearing silver and black would be fed to a pack of wolves, the end result on Sunday likely won't change.
But on Tuesday, Pete Carroll did provide an update on the health of banged-up 35-year-old veteran quarterback Geno Smith, who missed last Sunday's loss shutout loss to the Philadelphia Eagles with back and shoulder injuries.
"Geno's certainly ready to go from where I saw him this morning. He is cranked up and ready. He had a great weekend of rehab," Carroll said. "We didn't travel him so he wouldn't have to sit on the plane for all those hours and be in the cold and all that. He feels good."
Good enough to return to practice in full capacity on Wednesday, a sign that the $40 million signal-caller will get the assignment against Houston at NRG Stadium this Sunday. For the season, Smith has completed 67 percent of his passes for 2,648 yards, 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, the second-most picks in the league behind only recently-benched Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
In his one and only start this season, Kenny Pickett didn't exactly inspire any confidence within the Raiders organization. The fourth-year journeyman threw for just 64 yards and an interception in a 31-0 defeat in Week 15.
If there are any residents of the Black Hole out there who have been clamoring for Aidan O'Connell to get in the mix, it doesn't sound like that's an option that Pete Carroll is even considering at this point.
"Aidan has been working well, and he's done a nice job in practice, and I would love for him to get some play time. But I would like to get it for the right reasons, because we're winning the game," Carroll said of O'Connell, a tepid endorsement for a guy who is 7-10 in 17 starts over the last two seasons.
Frankly, in the end, it doesn't matter who the Raiders are starting at quarterback this Sunday. Unless a time machine somehow allowed for 2016 Derek Carr, 2002 Rich Gannon or 1976 Kenny Stabler to get the opportunity to start this Sunday, the 2025 Texans should quite comfortably put a beatdown on the Raiders.