The storyline coming into the Giants-Raiders game on Sunday was that the winner was better off losing.
The loser would have the best chance of securing the number one overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Fortunately, for the Raiders, they would lose to the Giants 34-10 at Allegiant Stadium.
With the win, the Giants(3-13) would snap their nine-game losing streak, while the Raiders(2-14) would drop their 10th straight.
Las Vegas, who will probably be without QB Geno Smith(high ankle sprain), can clinch the number one pick with a loss to the Chiefs in the season finale next Sunday.
The Raiders came into the game without its best player on offense, tight end Brock Bowers(knee), and best player on defense, DE Maxx Crosby(knee), who were both placed on injured reserve last week, so you knew they would have a tough time beating the Giants.
However, according to Carroll, not having those players was not the reason the Raiders lost.
“No, I don’t think that is the issue,” Carroll said. “I think the issue is those guys weren’t playing, and then we go down a level. Mike Mayer had a great game for us today. I mean, just a great game in filling in for Brock [Bowers]. I can’t say anybody on defense picked it up; it was obvious, in terms of filling in for Maxx [Crosby], but we tried. We did all that we could to try to get a good game out of this. The unfortunate part is, when you get the kickoff return, it’s like, ‘Okay, and that’s all three phases.’ You have an axe to grind. It was just a mess.”
Giants interim head coach Mike Kafka, who got his first win as a coach, is not concerned about draft order; he’s concerned about winning.
“Yeah, I mean, the things that we were playing for were for each other,” Kafka said. “To a man in that room, and having each other’s back and playing as hard as we can for each other. You get into a football locker room, it’s a family. Sometimes you have to go through the ups and downs, but you understand, you keep on plugging away, keep on putting in the hard work, and then you’ll get the result you want.”
Additionally, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that if the Giants secure the number one overall pick, they might consider drafting a quarterback, which is notable given rookie QB Jaxson Dart’s promising start.
Dart, who threw for 207 yards and added two rushing touchdowns, was asked about the report, and he said his focus is on winning games and playing good football.
“I’m going to continue to play my ball,” he said. “I know I’m going to be here for a very long time, and I’m just excited to start winning more games and turn this place around and do my job, and we have a bright future. And that was one thing that I was just standing on the sideline, and I’m watching Abdul [Carter] ball, I’m watching DA [Darius Alexander] ball. Skat [Cam Skattebo] was here today, and when you just think about this rookie class, I think that we have a really bright future, and we’re going to be a big pivot and turn this thing around.”
Players play to win, so in the end, the Giants did what they had to do to win, and the Raiders did what they have done all season long, which is lose.
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