Five good Texans questions with Silver and Black Pride

It’s been awhile since the Texans have played one of these games. Fanduel immediately set them as double digit favorites and you just don’t see that on the regular in the NFL. Matt Holder of Silver and Black Pride has been doing yeoman work over there this year in spite of the struggles of the team. As Texans fans, we know full well the kind of season they have been having and completely empathize. Unfortunately, most of the drama now comes in the aftermath and the decisions they will make on players and coaches. We started our conversation there.

Battle Red Blog: This is Pete Carroll’s first year in Vegas and it obviously hasn’t gone very well. Do you see him getting a second year or do you see them moving on when the season is over?

Matt Holder: There’s a lot of momentum toward Carroll being a one-and-done head coach in Las Vegas. The Raiders are staring at a multi-year rebuild, and he turns 75 in September. It’s hard to justify keeping a coach who will be halfway to 80 years old in that circumstance. Also, Pro Football Talk recently reported that speculation around the league is that the Raiders and Carroll are going to work out some sort of deal where he “retires” and gets a portion of the money he’s owed. Those negotiations could be key because I’m sure Mark Davis isn’t thrilled about paying another head coach who doesn’t work for him. 

The only way I can see Carroll getting a second year is if the organization wants to maintain some level of continuity. The Raiders have had four full-time head coaches (five if you count Rich Bisaccia’s interim stint) since moving to Las Vegas in 2020, which is part of the problem. But, given Carroll’s age, it’s not as if he’s the long-term solution anyway.

BRB: Geno Smith was brought in to be the quarterback for at least a few seasons. Do you see them moving on from him when the season is over or do you think a different offensive coordinator could get more out of him?

MH: It depends on your previous question because the former Seattle Seahawks duo is kind of a package deal. So, if the head coach gets fired, I could see the organization also letting the quarterback go, too. 

According to Over The Cap, the Raiders would take on $18.5 million of dead cap space but save $8 million by cutting Smith in the offseason. Having the extra money to spend in free agency is probably worth it, seeing as the 35-year-old isn’t the long-term answer. Also, with how he’s played this year, one could argue that the Raiders would actually be taking on more “dead money” by keeping him around at $26.5 million.

Another factor at play here is whether Las Vegas lands the No. 1 overall pick and how the front office views this year’s quarterback class. If the Raiders are picking at the top of the draft, I think Smith’s goose is cooked. If they aren’t and don’t have a shot at landing either Fernado Mendoza or Dante Moore, general manager John Spytek might keep Smith around as a bridge-gap into next season.

If I’m putting money on it, though, I’d bet Geno doesn’t return to Sin City in 2026.

BRB: The Raiders are currently tied for the worst record and could get the first overall pick. What direction do you see them going with that?

MH: *Strikes the Heisman pose*

Since moving on from Derek Carr at the end of 2022, the franchise has had a different Week 1 starting quarterback every year, and last week, Kenny Pickett became the seventh signal caller to start a game over the last three seasons. Las Vegas needs to figure out the most important position on the field and end this cycle of reclamation projects (Jimmy Garoppolo, Gardner Minshew and Smith). 

In 2024, the Raiders were one pick short from taking advantage of the best quarterback draft class in recent years, seeing Bo Nix go to a division rival as the 12th overall selection and sixth quarterback taken. They weren’t in a position to get Cam Ward a year ago, and I understood passing on the rest of the class, though it would be nice to have Jaxson Dart or Tyler Shough in hindsight. So, if the organization ends up in a position where it essentially controls the draft and doesn’t even have to trade up to find a potential solution under center, Spytek has to take advantage and pick Mendoza.

BRB: The Broncos seem to have the division close to locked up this year. Do you see the Chiefs run as over or is this a single year blip on the map? Which divisional opponent do Raiders fans enjoy beating the most?

MH: Well, they haven’t won a division game in the last two seasons, so it’s hard to remember who they enjoy beating. LOL! 

In all seriousness, it’s the Chiefs. That’s been a long-standing rivalry, and it makes it even worse that Kansas City has been so dominant over the last decade. Some people in the fanbase still like to reminisce about beating the Chiefs at Arrowhead on Christmas Day a couple of years ago. 

As for whether the dynasty is over, I won’t count the Chiefs out as long as they have Patrick Mahomes. However, I do think they’re in for some regression next season, seeing as Mahomes is coming off a torn ACL, and they have holes on the rest of the roster, especially on the offensive line. 

BRB: Fanduel has the Raiders as 14.5 point underdogs going into the game. Do you think they will cover that spread? Are there any prop bets you feel comfortable recommending?

MH: After watching Las Vegas amass just 75 total yards of offense last week, I can’t see them covering the spread against a very good Texans defense. The Raiders were 11.5-point underdogs last week and got blown out 31-0 against a Philadelphia Eagles team that had lost three in a row coming into it. 

I don’t know if this will be available as a prop bet on FanDuel, but if Will Anderson Jr.’s or Danielle Hunter’s sack line is set at 1.5 or less, I’d take the over. The Raiders’ offensive line has been terrible this season, where those two could easily have two sacks each. 

We want to thank Matt for being a good sport and answering our questions about the season. We as Texans fans remember very well what it felt like to be going through the kind of season the Raiders are currently going through. The NFL is always a little more enjoyable and entertaining when the Raiders are good and we hope they can bounce back eventually. We want to wish Matt and the Raiders the best of luck for the remainder of the season. As per usual, we hope that luck begins on Monday morning.