Skip to main content
Advertising

Quick Hits: Pete Carroll looks back at Week 14 and gives the latest on Geno Smith and Kyu Blu Kelly

Like every game in the NFL, there's a plethora of pros and cons to take from the Las Vegas Raiders' 24-17 defeat to the Denver Broncos.

Along with losing the game, quarterback Geno Smith and cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly left Sunday with injuries. Smith suffered a hand and shoulder injury in the second half, leading to Kenny Pickett entering the game in the fourth quarter, and Kelly suffered a non-contact knee injury in the second quarter.

Some of the more positive takeaways from Sunday surrounded the showings of young players on the roster. Rookie receiver Jack Bech led the team in receptions (six) and receiving yards (50) while receiver Shedrick Jackson caught his first NFL pass for a 25-yard touchdown from Pickett. On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback Darien Porter finished with six total tackles and two pass deflections.

Read through what Carroll had to say about the Week 14 game during his Monday media availability below.

On Geno Smith's status:

"I won't know for a couple days, until Wednesday, to see what happens and how sore he is. I can't tell you."

On Kyu Blu Kelly's injury:

"He had a patellar tendon injury in the game. ... We'll see the severity of it and all, but that's a difficult injury right off the bat, and we'll see how it goes and see what has to take place to get them right. I'm not sure about that part of it yet, but that is what happened. You notice it was an open field, too. It was just a freak accident that shouldn't happen. You didn't see him buckle or anything. He just planted and sometimes that happens."

On Kelly's impact on the team:

"A significant loss because he's been such a good story for us. He really came out of nowhere in camp and was kind of knocked around different positions and all that. ... There was a point in there where you couldn't ignore the fact that he was making things happen in practice and even in preseason, and you could just see it happening. And what showed up is his natural football ability, his natural instincts, because he's a tackler, he's an interceptor, he's a playmaker, and he's aggressive, and he's smart, and all those things along with it. Given enough time, it didn't matter who he was going against, he was showing that he needed a better look. ... It took all of that offseason time and all the way through camp to get to that point, but that was the statement that I was making, that he deserved to get a chance. And I think he's had an excellent season."

On Jack Bech's showing against Broncos:

"Jack had a good, solid game, and it's funny how it goes. We had a really good week, and we highlighted him in one-on-one situations during the week to see how he would do, and he showed up really well. And so, the fact that he came through and played well in the game just kind of goes along with it. So, I'm really happy for him. He's a tough dude, and we like him on the field out there."

On his evaluation of Darien Porter's showing against Broncos:

"I thought this was his best game, even the first – the back shoulder throw, I mean, he played it perfectly. He was a fraction of an inch from getting his hand in the pocket and knocking that ball out, too. He challenged the heck out of it, and I thought he played a really nice game. And he's been working at it. He's really clean technique-wise. He's a real product of our system. I'm really fired up about that because he looked really good yesterday."

On Shedrick Jackson, who caught his first career touchdown:

"Shedrick – we told him Wednesday, or whatever it was, that he had a chance to play, and I was really fired up for him, to be able to tell him that because he knew that he was getting some reps, but he didn't hear it from me yet. And you can just tell the uplift that happens. ... He really rose to the occasion and had a really impressive week of practice, and so we weren't hesitant to go to him or give him a chance. And that was really one of the favorite stories in the game. It just gives other guys hope as well and keeps hope alive."

View the best photos from the Raiders' Week 14 matchup against the Denver Broncos at Allegiant Stadium.

Related Content

Latest Content

Advertising