It was not a surprise that the Houston Texans defeated the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday in Week 16 of the NFL. Not only because the game was played in a difficult city like Houston, but also because the Texans came in riding a six-game winning streak and showcasing a dominant defense that is undoubtedly one of the best in the entire NFL.
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That Texans winning streak includes victories over the Kansas City Chiefs led by Patrick Mahomes, the Indianapolis Colts with Daniel Jones, and the Buffalo Bills led by Josh Allen. While the first two teams are currently out of the playoff picture, both had legitimate chances at the time they faced Houston. It is also worth remembering that the Texans started the season 0-3.
So the loss itself was not surprising; what was surprising was that the Raiders competed until the very end of the game. The Texans were 14-point favorites and barely managed to secure a 23-21 victory in a game where Geno Smith threw two touchdown passes and was intercepted once. The Raiders remain with just two wins on the season.
Ashton Jeanty exploded for the Raiders
One of the most exciting players to watch in the loss to the Texans was rookie Ashton Jeanty, who for the first time since Week 4 against the Chicago Bears surpassed the 100-yard rushing mark. The former Boise State standout rushed for 128 yards and scored on a 54-yard breakaway run in the fourth quarter.
In addition, Jeanty also made an impact through the air with a 60-yard touchdown reception. As a result, Raiders quarterback Geno Smith said that the franchise’s first-round pick in 2025 could even play wide receiver: “I really think he could play receiver. I think he could be a slot receiver in this league. He’s got great hands. He’s great out of the backfield. He understands spacing, and he just knows what to do,” Smith said.
It took 10 games for Ashton Jeanty to deliver a performance worthy of a first-round Draft pick. While it may have seemed like he lacked confidence, head coach Pete Carroll pushed back against that idea: “First off, he doesn’t need a real confidence boost. He pretty much knows who he is. I say that because that’s not always the case for first-year players, especially high draft picks,” Carroll said.
Week 17 is an important matchup for the Raiders. Even though Geno Smith remains under contract, holding a high Draft pick could put the team in position to select Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza. If Las Vegas loses this weekend against the Giants, they could enter the final week of the season holding the No. 1 overall pick in the next NFL Draft.
