The Las Vegas Raiders’ most important game of the season will take place in Week 17. The Raiders and New York Giants are tied for the worst record in the NFL, and whoever wins this pivotal matchup will take themselves out of the running for Fernando Mendoza.
The 2026 NFL draft is integral to the future of the Raiders, as it will determine how they’re able to bounce back from this disappointing season. All the pieces are in place for this team to exceed expectations next season. All they need is a quarterback like Dante Moore or Mendoza to unlock this team’s latent potential, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with. What do the Raiders need to have in mind ahead of this season-altering matchup?
Things To Look Out For
Dec 14, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) looks on before the game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Critical Injury
Raiders to place TE Brock Bowers on IR. (via @tompelissero) pic.twitter.com/nzeyD3p4l4
— NFL (@NFL) December 24, 2025
The Raiders will be without one of their top playmakers for the rest of the season. Brock Bowers won’t suit up against the Giants, and he ends his 2025 season with seven receiving touchdowns but only 680 yards. He was a shell of his rookie self for the entirety of 2025, as his production was never able to get to where it was last season.
This will make it even harder for the Raiders to move the ball on offense, which is something they want. The Raiders cannot win this game. A win against the Giants would bump them up to three wins on the season and would tank their draft stock. They could fall as far as the seventh overall pick, which would be extremely detrimental to where this franchise is at the moment.
Nov 17, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn (11) reacts after the game against the Dallas Cowboys at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images
Another critical injury the Raiders will have to contend with is safety Jeremy Chinn headed to the IR with Bowers. He’s one of the few saving graces in a secondary that’s been much misaligned this season, and his replacement, Lonnie Johnson Jr. is coming off a game where he wasn’t productive at all against the Houston Texans.
Ultimately, this is all to the benefit of the Raiders. Chinn signed a two-year deal with the Raiders, and the first year has been a resounding success. Hopefully, he can come back next season and ball out for a Raiders team that’s better equipped to compete.
Shaken Confidence
Dec 21, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart (6) makes a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Though the Raiders and Giants have only won two games apiece this season, they couldn’t be more different heading into this important game. The Raiders were able to hold their own against the Texans and almost pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the season.
On the other hand, the Giants lost to the Vikings in a game where Jaxson Dart only attempted 13 passes and had a pitiful 33 passing yards. In that limited number of passes, he managed to throw an interception, and his performance against the Vikings will go down as one of the worst performances of his career. It may end up being one of the worst quarterback performances of this entire season, so it’s safe to say the quarterbacks on either sideline are in completely different headspaces.
Dec 7, 2025; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) stands in the pocket against the Denver Broncos during the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Geno Smith should be playing with a lot of confidence, as he only missed seven of his throws against a top-five defense in the NFL. He threw an interception early in the game, but battled back and had his team mere yards away from winning the game.
Bowers being out will impact how successful he is throwing the ball, but if Ashton Jeanty can build off his last performance, he’ll still have an elite playmaker in space with the ball in his hands. The Raiders’ offense is humming, and it may be enough to win them the game without even taking into account how their defense played.
A Lot on the Line
Dec 21, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll reacts after a play during the game against the Houston Texans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
This game is a matchup of conflicting interests. Pete Carroll wants to win as many games as he can to end the season to secure his job for next season, but the Raiders organization will have so much flexibility with the 1st overall pick.
It’ll be an interesting back-and-forth to witness how the Raiders handle this game at home. Their 2025 season comes to this, and this Week 17 matchup may very well dictate the next five years for the Raiders. A loss is imperative, and a win would be devastating.
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