It is nearly impossible to win at a high level in the NFL without a strong quarterback under center. A journey through the Las Vegas Raiders' recent history at the position indicates just that.
On December 24, 2016, the Raiders were 12-3 heading into a Week 16 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts. Derek Carr was considered a top-five quarterback in the league amid this MVP-caliber year, and his one shining moment brought positivity and a strong future outlook for Raider Nation.
But in a painful display of how important an elite quarterback is, Carr would infamously break his leg in the final quarter of the game with the contest out of reach. The Raiders lost the following week against the Broncos, then dropped their first playoff game, both in humiliating fashion.
Geno Smith continues to climb NFL QB rankings
Carr never reached the same level of play, and the Silver and Black have been starved for great quarterback play ever since. The combination of Jimmy Garoppolo, Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew has been among the worst in the league over the past two seasons, but fortunately, recently acquired Geno Smith provides a massive upgrade.
Yahoo Sports' Charles McDonald recently ranked his top 10 NFL quarterbacks, and Geno Smith landed at No. 8. He may still be the third-ranked quarterback in the AFC West by this list, but being firmly in the top 10 at the position should be electrifying for Raider Nation.
Smith ranked just behind the Rams' Matthew Stafford and Cowboys' Dak Prescott but was slotted ahead of the Packers' Jordan Love and the Texans' C.J. Stroud.
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Las Vegas' new signal-caller is in a fantastic position to validate this lofty praise as well. Smith has been outstanding playing at indoor stadiums over the last several years, and the Raiders play a whopping 12 games inside during the 2025 season.
He will also have a much better offensive line than he did in Seattle, an exciting supporting cast that features Brock Bowers, Ashton Jeanty and Jakobi Meyers and an offensive coordinator who should be better than any he has ever had.
While this type of praise is unfamiliar to a career-long underdog like Smith, having hope at the game's most important position should feel like an ideal situation for Raider Nation. After decades of nightmares at the position, maybe sweet dreams are made of this.