Raiders Film Review Breaking Down Kenny Pickett’s Performance

It's no secret that Smith has struggled all season long, with him tied for the most interceptions this season. Raider Nation has been clamoring for Pickett to get a chance, and Pete Carroll's hand was forced.

Though Pickett came in and failed to convert a 4th and goal, which would've made the game more interesting, his ensuing drive showed off what the Raiders' offense could look like with him at the helm.

The most striking thing about Pickett's time as the play caller was that the two drives he started ended with points. His touchdown drive only took six plays and took less than two minutes off the clock. The final drive ended up in a worthless field goal to end the game, but it only took six plays and less than a minute to get into Daniel Carlson's range with Pickett throwing the ball.

Another thing that stood out to me in Pickett's limited time as the starter was his willingness to throw the ball to their younger receivers. Shedrick Jackson was an undrafted free agent in 2023 and hadn't caught a pass in the NFL, and Pickett gave him a chance downfield. He also found second-round pick Jake Bech three times in his two drives, the same number of targets he had last week.

It's clear that Pickett gives the Raiders their best chance at winning, and he should've been getting more play time earlier in the season. If Smith's injury lingers past their next game against the Philadelphia Eagles, why give him back his starting job at all?

Pickett is a free agent after this season, so at the very least, the Raiders could give him more opportunity to show off what he can do for other NFL teams if the Raiders aren't planning on keeping him around.