What Week 18 Has at Stake for the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders' 2025 season comes down to one last contest against a divisional opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs. This game holds a lot of implications for the Raiders' future, both good and bad.

The good part is that a loss against the Chiefs in Week 18 would secure the first overall pick in the upcoming draft and give them a chance to draft Fernando Mendoza, or whichever player of their choosing. The bad part is that it's also the last time their backup quarterbacks will see the field this season, and make a case for themselves in the future of the Raiders, or for other teams.

What’s at Stake?

Geno Smith made his last start of the season against the New York Giants, as he went down with an injury and won't be suiting up against the Chiefs. Smith's debut with the Raiders was disastrous, but he showed he has a higher level of control over their offense than Kenny Pickett.

Once Pickett took over after Smith first got injured, I thought he was going to take the starting job and roll with it for the rest of the season. After all, he looked calm against the Denver Broncos' defense and led two scoring drives in quick succession. However, against his former team, it was a different story. He couldn't escape the pressure of the Philadelphia Eagles, and he led the Raiders' offense to a goose egg.

The player who really has the most at stake in this game against the Chiefs is Aidan O'Connell. His preseason injury is the reason why they went and traded for Pickett in the first place, because he would've been the backup quarterback if not.

He has a lot of starting experience in the NFL, and may even be the most talented out of the three. The thing is, he has yet to take a snap in the regular season this year. Pete Carroll has confirmed that both of them will get some playing time, which to me, sounds like they're gauging which one they want to keep for their long-term future.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) throws the ball Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025, during practice ahead of the Rose Bowl game against Alabama Crimson Tide at Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles. | Grace Hollars/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mendoza's going to be their quarterback of the future if they can select him first overall. Smith is on a big contract until 2027, so it makes sense to keep him as a backup, just in case. Week 18 then becomes a battle between Pickett and O'Connell to see which one deserves to be on the roster, or impresses other teams enough to trade for them to become their backup quarterback next season.

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