The Raiders' Big Game: A Chance to Lose and Win Big

The NFL is full of surprises, but this one is a bit odd. The Raiders have a unique chance to win big by losing. If they lose to the Chiefs, they get the first pick in the 2026 NFL draft. It's like a backdoor way to success. Coach Pete Carroll plans to give everyone on the team a chance to play, including backup quarterbacks Aidan O'Connell and Kenny Pickett. He's excited to see how they perform. But some key players won't be on the field. Starting quarterback Geno Smith is out, and so are defensive end Maxx Crosby and tight end Brock Bowers. Crosby wants to play, but the team won't let him. They're protecting him from injury.The NFL's draft system rewards the worst teams with the best picks. This sets up a weird situation where teams might lose on purpose to get a better chance at top talent. The Raiders are in this spot now. Coach Carroll says his team isn't trying to lose, but they're just bad. He hopes they keep working hard. There's a way to fix this problem. The NFL could change the draft order to reward teams that keep winning, even if they're out of the playoff race. Imagine if the Saints and Falcons played for a high draft pick instead of just playing out the string. It would make the last week of the season more exciting. For now, the Raiders have a big opportunity. They can lose and still come out ahead. It's a strange way to win, but in the NFL, anything can happen.