Pete Carroll reveals real reason for not benching Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett despite Raiders QB brutally struggling blowout loss to Colts

The Las Vegas Raiders are 1-4 for the season after a disastrous 40-6 loss against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday that has increased the pressure on Raiders coach Pete Carroll.

One of the weakest links in the team's disappointing start is veteran quarterback Geno Smith. The 34-year-old has been struggling with his passing this season as he has thrown a league-high nine interceptions.

Despite Smith's shortcomings, Caroll is not turning to backup Kenny Pickett, and the Raiders coach explained the reason behind his decision after Sunday's thrashing. Caroll said on why he is not benching Smith for Pickett:

"We need to stay out there and keep practicing, we need the reps, we need the turns…that’s not what’s necessary, we need to get better and get right,"

Looking to predict NFL playoff Scenarios? Try our NFL Playoff Predictor for real-time simulations and stay ahead of the game!

The Raiders' passing game with quarterbacks Gardner Minshew, Aidan O'Connelland Desmond Ridder made for underwhelming viewing last season. Las Vegas traded for Smith in the offseason to improve the passing issues and so far, it hasn't gone to plan.

Following his trade, Smith signed a two-year, $75 million extension with $40 million guaranteed this season. The veteran quarterback is tied with Josh McCown (2007) and Kerry Collins (2004) for most interceptions by a Raiders quarterback in their first five games for the franchise. He only trails Schroeder (1988) on the unceremonious list.

NBA star urges Raiders to trade for Shedeur Sanders Amid Geno Smith's struggles

Amid Geno Smith's underwhelming start, NBA star Damian Lillard urged the team to make a trade for Cleveland Browns rookie Shedeur Sanders.

"Time to gone ahead and trade for Shedeur man smfh," Lillard wrote on X.

Although Lillard defended Smith amid backlash from fans, the Portland Trailblazers star said it's time the Raiders looked at the future by trading Browns' QB3.

"He not washed… he just turning the ball over. But it’s time to get shedeur on the team and get ready for the future."

Raiders coach Pete Caroll needs to make a call at quarterback sooner rather than later as the team's hopes of a postseason spot are fading after a 1-4 start has them in last place in the AFC West.

About the author

Chaitanya Prakash is an editor who covers US Sports at Sportskeeda. His first brush with sportswriting was in 2012 when the greatest football manager of all time, Sir Alex Ferguson, bid farewell to the beautiful game.

Although having started out professionally as a cricket writer in 2022, Chaitanya's curiosity and indiscriminate interest in all sports in general eventually introduced him to America's favorite pastime.

While Chaitanya's favorite player from the current crop is the dynamic Venezuelan Ronald Acuna Jr., his all-time favorite, however, is Pedro Martinez, for his self-belief and consistency. He also rates Jose Bautista's iconic bat flip in 2015 as his favorite moment in baseball history.

Chaitanya specializes in reporting on technical aspects of the game or analyzing patterns behind specific plays. He also likes pondering over players' self-assessments following the conclusion of a game as it helps him get an idea of how they think about the sport in general.

When not cheering for his favorites across sports, Chaitanya likes being transported to the past through a good war documentary or a historical documentary in general.

Know More

Colts Fans! Check out the latest Indianapolis Colts Schedule and dive into the Colts Depth Chart for NFL Season 2024-25.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash