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Pick Six: Quarterbacks Kenny Pickett, Aidan O'Connell to be in rotation in Week 18

Kenny Pickett, Aidan O'Connell will be "ready to go"

Quarterback Geno Smith has been ruled out for the season finale with an ankle injury. He finishes his 2025 season with 3,025 passing yards, a 67.4 completion percentage and 19 touchdowns.

Pete Carroll mentioned Friday that Kenny Pickett and Aidan O'Connell are both expected to play this Sunday, but wouldn't say who will start. Pickett has started one game for the Raiders, and has totaled 185 passing yards and a touchdown in five games played. O'Connell has yet to appear in a game this year after suffering a wrist injury back in the preseason. Since being drafted in the fourth-round by the Raiders in 2023, O'Connell has started 17 games and notched 20 career passing touchdowns.

"There's a rotation in mind," Carroll said Friday. "Don't have to reveal everything here."

Chiefs relying on QB3 in Week 18

With two-time NFL MVP Patrick Mahomes on injured reserve and backup Gardner Minshew, who started nine games for the Raiders in 2024, placed on injured reserve the following week, Kansas City will ride with Chris Oladokun as their starter for a second straight week.

The 2022 seventh-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers was signed to the Chiefs practice squad later that same season. He's shuffled between the practice squad and active roster since then, but is now seeing his first real regular season action due to the injuries. In his two games played in 2025, he's gone 24-of-38 for 177 yards and a touchdown.

"The whole offense is predicated off of running the ball, whether it's quarterback under or when they get in gun, the spread program and then getting the ball out fast in terms of their quick game," Patrick Graham said of the Chiefs offense. "So, I don't think any of that's going to change, because that's been Coach [Andy] Reid for a long time. And Coach [Matt] Nagy and how those guys put it together. So, what I've seen from [Chris Oladokun], he's able to get the ball out on time, he has some athleticism back there in the pocket to make plays off the loose plays. It's going to be a challenge."

"Feature time" for developing defensive linemen

Defensive tackle Adam Butler will also be sidelined for Sunday's game with a bicep injury. In his last three seasons with the Raiders, he's compiled 11 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 24 quarterback hits.

His absence will allow a few younger players like Jonah Laulu and rookies JJ Pegues and Tonka Hemingway to see more reps. Laulu, who has started 14 games this season, is second on the team in sacks (four) and pass deflections (five). Hemingway and Pegues have seen an uptick in snaps late in the season, combining for four tackles for loss and two sacks.

"Those guys will get to play a lot ... it is a really good opportunity for those guys," Carroll said. "They'll get feature time, and they got to come through."

Do Raiders have an answer for Chris Jones?

Since we're already on the topic of defensive line, the Chiefs have a game wrecker on the other side in Chris Jones.

Voted to his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl, he's tied for his team's lead in tackles for loss (10) and ranks second in quarterback sacks (five). He also leads the league in pass rush win rate (20 percent) among defensive tackles, per ESPN Analytics. He has enough strength and power to take over games with his bull rush at the line of scrimmage, which will be a difficult task come Sunday for the likes of rookie guard Caleb Rogers and veteran linemen Alex Cappa, who's been moved over to center.

Nevertheless, Rogers and Cappa haven't allowed a sack in their last two games. However, Jones has racked up three sacks and four tackles for loss in his last three contests against the Silver and Black.

Reversing curses

The Raiders' 10-game losing streak isn't the only skid the team is trying to end this season.

Since relocating to Las Vegas, the Silver and Black have been unable to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs inside Allegiant Stadium. The last time the Raiders beat the Chiefs at home was in a Week 7 Thursday Night thriller during the 2017 season inside Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.

No. 1?

This finale game for the Raiders comes with obvious draft ramifications.

With a loss or a tie against the Chiefs, the Raiders would secure the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. However, the Raiders can also become first in the draft even with a win. They'll own a strength of schedule tiebreaker with 3+ losses by the Seahawks, Falcons, Browns and Bears in Week 18 (only relevant with LV win & NYG loss).

As the Raiders prepare for Week 18 against the Kansas City Chiefs, view past matchups of the Silver and Black hosting their division rival.

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