Geno Smith has taken a lot of criticism in recent weeks, but he wasn’t to blame for the Raiders’ 30-29 overtime loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
Smith threw for 284 yards and four touchdowns in the Raiders’ losing effort this week, but the play everyone seems to remember was the failed 2-point conversation that sealed the outcome.
Smith double clutched on his final throw and his pass intended for a wide-open Tyler Lockett was batted down by Jacksonville nose tackle DaVon Hamilton.
At first glance, it looked like Smith was second-guessing the throw, but former Raiders’ offensive lineman Marshall Newhouse offered another explanation for Smith’s costly hesitation.
In his weekly appearance on the Just Win podcast, Newhouse said the botched final play might have been the result of having a player on the field that had only been with the team for six days…
“Maybe [Geno] had two, but he definitely had one receiver open. If you rewatch the play, like I did… first Tre Tucker’s running kind of a pivot. He kind of runs over and then pivots flat and his man, who is playing zone, follows him to the flat. So that guy’s washed out of the play. He was just a distraction.
Or it could have been Geno saw the underneath linebacker, wasn’t sure for a split second if he could fit it over him and still [throw] the ball inbounds. I’m very curious, we didn’t get to see the press conference if anyone asked that and what that would have been, but ultimately, he double clutches. Hamilton makes a really good play. I don’t mind the play. I like the aggression. He did have a wide receiver.
Someone mentioned, ‘Why didn’t he throw the Jakobi Myers on the over route?’ Well, they were in zone. They were in a flat zone right there at the goal line. That route is not meant to get open. Maybe if Jakobi sits down later in the route, but that is not Geno’s first read, in my opinion, rewatching the play.”
For what it’s worth, Smith was asked about the double clutch after the game, and he didn’t throw himself or anyone else under the bus…
“That’s football, brother.”
x: @raidersbeat
Maybe our GM and HC want the #1 pick, that’s why he’s playing smith, crappa and Lockett. I had high hopes for our gm and hc but they seem to be stuck on players from their old teams. Just let it go you don’t work for them anymore.
Just not a clutch qb…simple as that.
Has had some comebacks but all in all just really not “the guy”.
Career playoff record 0-1…..
I hope they are tanking, we need a qb badly. Not a late round project because we have no one who is capable of bringing him along. Geno panicked, had a wide open receiver, panicked and double clutched, Carroll will blame Kelly but it was the right call man was wide open and Geno did what Geno does simple as that.