Raiders' potential draft dilemma: Winning games could cost them a chance at a franchise QB

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The Las Vegas Raiders nearly pulled off an upset against the Houston Texans on Sunday.

By playing their best football in several weeks and still coming up short in the 23-21 loss, Las Vegas remained in the running for the top pick in next year's NFL draft.

If the Raiders continue to play as well as they did against the Texans, that top pick likely won't be available because their next two opponents — the New York Giants on Sunday and the Chiefs the week after — are beatable and both games are at home. The Raiders, in fact, are favored by a point over the Giants at BetMGM Sportsbook.

The Giants are tied with the Raiders for the league’s worst record at 2-13. Kansas City is down to its third-string quarterback after injuries to Patrick Mahomes and former Raider Gardner Minshew and has been eliminated from the playoff race. This is a far cry from the Chiefs championship teams of the past several seasons.

Should Las Vegas win both games, it could drop to seventh in the draft order. And, once again, not be in position to take the franchise quarterback the Raiders so badly need.

The Raiders might not be alone in hoping to land Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza if he's the first quarterback off the board as expected.

There are scenarios in which the Raiders split their final two games and still get the No. 1 pick, but those aren't likely outcomes.

Their best chance is to lose out, which won't happen if the team that showed up against Houston makes another appearance or two over the final couple of weekends of the regular season.

Coaches and players, of course, aren't wired to want to lose. The players showed on Sunday they are still playing hard for Pete Carroll, whose future with the franchise is in question. Getting the top pick means nothing to him if he's not around to make use of it.

Playing a competitive game against the Texans and showing improvement to close the season could be enough to convince owner Mark Davis to give Carroll another season.

“The intensity that we played at throughout carried over from special teams and defense and offense,” Carroll said. "That helps us in all ways, but I thought most of all, it was the intent of the guys to show who we are. I was really fired up about that part of it.”

DE Maxx Crosby's motor never stops running. He played every defensive snap for the fifth week in a row despite dealing with knee issues that have sidelined him in many practices in recent weeks. Crosby showed his athleticism and willingness to go full speed every play by chasing down Texans running back Nick Chubb, lunging to tackle him from behind.

QB Geno Smith is tied for the NFL lead with 15 interceptions, the latest a first-quarter pick that was returned for a touchdown and gave Houston a 7-0 lead. The Raiders didn't go away and had their chances to win, but they were forced to play from behind nearly right away. And in a close game, that play became even more magnified.

This was the game running back Ashton Jeanty has been waiting to produce. The sixth pick in this year's draft rushed for 128 yards and had a touchdown run of 51 yards and a TD catch of 60. He's the fourth rookie with a scoring run and catch of 50 or more yards in a game and the first since Denver's Clinton Portis in 2002 against the Chiefs.

The Raiders defense couldn't get off the field in the fourth quarter. They gave up two drives that each lasted more than five minutes, the first ending in a touchdown and the second running out the clock. Las Vegas had an issue with a third down pass interference penalty that extended the second drive for Houston, a call that Carroll on Monday called “lousy” and “devastating.”

T Kolton Miller (ankle) will practice again this week, but no determination has been made on whether he will play. The Raiders need him back because they lost their third starter on the line when C/G Jordan Meredith (ankle) was placed on injured reserve on Monday.

434-435-6 — That’s the Raiders’ record since the 1970 merger, the first time they have been below .500 since beginning that initial season 1-2-1.

The Raiders host the Giants on Sunday.

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Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu (96) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrate during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025, in Houston. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

A sellout crowd will welcome the Tampa Bay Rays back to renovated Tropicana Field on Monday for the first time in 18 1/2 months.

The quirky stadium with the tilted roof and unique catwalks underwent major repairs after Hurricane Milton swept through downtown St. Petersburg on Oct. 9, 2024, and caused extensive damage.

High wind ripped sections of the original roof, allowing rain to fall into the stadium bowl for months. Water caused mold and damage to electrical, sound and broadcast systems.

There was thought initially the Rays would never play another game at the only ballpark they had called home since the franchise’s debut in 1998. Instead, nearly $60 million was spent to replace the roof and rebuild the Trop.

While the Rays played their 2025 home games across the bay in Tampa at Steinbrenner Field — the spring training home of the New York Yankees — their stadium got a makeover.

The new roof was installed last August, and the final panel was put in place Nov. 21. Luxury suites and the stadium video board were upgraded. The stadium has new artificial turf, home-plate club seats, clubhouse carpet and lockers, and new flooring on the outfield deck.

“I think guys are excited, and rightfully so,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said about the team’s return home. “Our organization has worked incredibly hard and the city and the county, to get it back up to speed. I briefly walked through there, couldn’t be more impressed with the way it looks, and excited to see our fans. I think our guys are going to appreciate just having our fans in the building, cheering us on for our opening day.”

It’ll be the 20th consecutive season the Rays have sold out their home opener, excluding 2020 when fans weren’t allowed inside the stadium because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m just really excited to get back in the Trop,” said reliever Griffin Jax, who joined the team last July. “I always enjoy going there as a visitor. It’ll be cool to see all the new renovations and upgrades they made along the way. We’ve seen it a handful of times walking through and seeing pictures and stuff. It looks great. It’ll be good to be back in our home.”

After spending a season playing in a minor league ballpark, the Rays are looking forward to going back to big league amenities.

“It was difficult,” Jax said about playing at Steinbrenner Field. “I don’t think anybody expects to play in a situation like that. It’s just one of those things you have to make any adjustment you can and get ready to play because there is still baseball to be played that night. The situation isn’t great. The environment wasn’t awesome, but it’s still baseball. You just have to roll with it. I was only there for two months. Shout out to all these guys who were there for an entire year because it was not ideal.”

Tropicana Field may not be home for the Rays for much longer. The Rays are under lease to play there through at least the 2028 season, but the team's new ownership group is pursuing a new ballpark that would be built in Tampa, in the shadows of the Yankees’ spring training complex and across the street from Raymond James Stadium, home to the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

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FILE - The roof of the Tropicana Field is damaged the morning after Hurricane Milton hit the region, Oct. 10, 2024, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez, File)