Three Key Observations From Raiders' Emotional Loss to Texans

The Las Vegas Raiders were on the road against an opponent that had won six games straight prior. And yet, they put up one of their most complete performances of the season. This game will go down as a loss, but the Raiders showed more heart and drive than they had for the majority of the year.

The Houston Texans needed this win to stay in the playoff race in the AFC, and the Raiders needed this loss to keep up with the New York Giants in Week 17. It all worked out perfectly in the end. These are some of my observations from the Raiders' Week 16 loss, and what they can bring with them moving forward.

Three Major Observations

The Breakout Game

For just the fifth time this season, the Raiders put up more than 20 points, and that was largely due to Ashton Jeanty's impeccable performance. He had two game-altering plays on the ground and through the air, as he showed flashes of the playmaker the Raiders used the sixth overall pick on.

He was a man on a mission, averaging 5.9 yards per carry, his second-highest this season. He had 128 yards, which includes a 51-yard touchdown run where he broke multiple tackles and waited behind his offensive line for the perfect time to strike.

GENO TO JEANTY FOR THE 60-YARD TD!

LVvsHOU on CBS/Paramount+https://t.co/HkKw7uXnxV pic.twitter.com/k8CknFOEcy
— NFL (@NFL) December 21, 2025

He only had one reception against the Texans, but he made it count. A 60-yard touchdown bomb to give the Raiders the lead in a tightly-knit game was what the Raiders envisioned with him in their offense, and Raider Nation was ecstatic to see their rookie finally make some plays.

If you watch Raiders football, you know that Jeanty's slow rookie season isn't his fault. He's playing behind one of the worst offensive lines in the league, but I was starting to become restless waiting for another big game from him. Their offense flowed significantly better with him being an effective rusher, and his success can be attributed to their offensive line playing better than they had all season.

Winning Up-Front

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders linemen Jordan Meredith (61), Andre James (68) and Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) during an NFL game against the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

Both the Raiders' offensive and defensive lines deserve a lot of credit for how they performed against one of the better defenses in the NFL, and how they pressured CJ Stroud into making difficult throws. Geno Smith was only sacked three times, which is tied for his fifth-lowest in a game this season.

Say what you will about Smith's play this season, but in a hostile environment on the road, he posted his best QBR score of the season and only missed seven throws. He began the game by throwing a pick-six, but bounced back and played much better after that. If Kenny Pickett were in the game, it wouldn't have been as close.

Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the tunnel against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Even if their defensive line wasn't able to bring Stroud down, they impacted the game in many other ways. Stroud was able to avoid any sacks, but they did register four quarterback hits, as well as a staggering six tackles for loss.

They held the Texans' running game to just 83 yards on the ground, with the majority of those coming from a 30-yard scramble by Nick Chubb. Excluding the game where he got injured against the Denver Broncos, the Raiders' defense forced Stroud to throw for 187 yards, a season low. They were playing like a team with nothing to lose, and seemed to only get better as the sea of boo's rained down on the Texans.

Larger Goal in Mind

Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll reacts after a play during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

If you ask me, this game couldn't have been drawn up better for the Raiders. They put on an exciting show for their fans, but their ultimate goal is still in reach. The Raiders are tied with the Giants for the first overall pick, and it's all going to come down to next week to see who wins, or more accurately, who loses and earns the prized jewel of the 2026 NFL draft class.

The important thing for the Raiders is that they continue to lose. If they win their last two games of the season, they will drop out of the top five entirely and select at number ten overall. That would be a slap in the face to all those who have had to endure loss after loss this season, and interestingly enough, their next two games are the ones where they have the biggest chance to win.

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