NFL Makes Surprising Punishment Decision on Raiders QB Geno Smith
Though Geno Smith is a veteran quarterback who has dealt with a lot of hardship in his career, the Las Vegas Raiders might be his most difficult stop yet. The team traded for him in the offseason and gave him a good contract extension, but he hasn’t played well.
Fans have quickly turned on him, as he has yet to have a game to warrant their admiration. Things got ugly during the Week 12 loss to the Cleveland Browns
The Raiders had to issue a statement on the matter, so that meant the NFL was also aware. Players absolutely can’t be throwing obscene gestures at fans, so Smith was likely expecting a punishment. However, if he is getting punished, it won’t come from the league directly.
The NFL announced its fines from Week 12, and Smith was not among them. Perhaps it was because the video was caught by fans, and not the broadcast. Regardless, it’s still surprised considering Smith and the Raiders have addressed the incident.
Smith Apologized for Incident
As a veteran quarterback with over a decade of experience, there aren’t many excuses for Smith to be acting immature with fans. It’s been a tough season, but he should keep those feelings to himself.
He understands that and apologized for his actions.
“I would like to apologize to the fans (and) Raider Nation,” Smith said. “I made a poor judgment out of frustration. And that’s not an excuse. I’ve got to be better than that and hold myself to a higher standard. In that moment, I didn’t. I’m sincerely apologetic and very sorry for doing that.”
Smith also said that it won’t happen again. If it does, that would be the third time he’s flipped off a crowd this season, which might lead to the NFL taking tougher action.
Smith Still Confident in Pete Carroll
In many cases, Smith likely would’ve been benched already. He’s not playing well and not setting a great example as a leader of the team.
He’s fortunate that head coach Pete Carroll is very loyal to him. Many are questioning if Carroll still has what it takes to be a head coach in the NFL, but Smith is standing behind him.
“I have tremendous confidence in Coach [Pete] Carroll,” Smith said. “He hasn’t changed one bit since he’s gotten here. Coach Carroll is the same guy every single day. That’s what you can appreciate about him. No matter what the situation is, it doesn’t dictate his mood or his effort or just the juice and the energy he brings to the building.
“And so, for us, man, we just got to, like I said, man, continue to believe in what he’s preaching and continue to hold the rope which guys are doing. Guys are in the weight room working hard, in the classroom studying, working hard, and we’re really trying to turn it around and get better as a team. And so, Coach Carroll is doing the right thing, and we’ve got to keep following him.”
Smith and Carroll have each other’s back, but it remains to be seen if that will matter at the end of the season when the Raiders have to make some tough decisions.
Ex-Lions RB Lands With Super Bowl Contender After Surprise Release
The Detroit Lions parted ways with a longtime running back before this week’s Thanksgiving game, and now he’s found a new home with a Super Bowl contender.
The Lions announced on Wednesday that they released veteran Craig Reynolds, who had been with Detroit for the last five seasons. He saw his role dwindling this season, appearing in just seven games and seeing his share of carries on offense down to almost nothing.
Any plans the Lions may have had to bring Reynolds back to their practice squad vanished when he signed with the New England Patriots.
Craig Reynolds Carved Out Important Role in Detroit
Though Reynolds didn’t have a huge impact on offense during his five seasons in Detroit — taking 153 carries for 654 yards and one touchdown — he did have an important role on special teams.
But with the tandem of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery taking nearly all of the carries, and second-year running back Sione Vaki appearing in 57% of the special teams snaps, Reynolds lost his grip on a roster spot.
The Patriots announced on Saturday that they added Reynolds to their practice squad, adding some key depth in the backfield and on special teams. The Patriots released running back Rushawn Baker from the practice squad to make room for Reynolds.
The Patriots have the NFL’s best record at 10-2, the only team to reach double-digit wins so far this season.
The Patriots have spread out their carries on offense, with TreVeyon Henderson leading the way with 118 carries for 558 yards and five touchdowns. Rhamondre Stevenson has 284 yards and three touchdowns, while Antonio Gibson has 106 yards with one touchdown.
Reynolds grew into a fan-favorite player with the Lions, thanks in part to his gritty special teams play. While it’s not clear if the Patriots have any plans to elevate him to the active roster this season, those skills could give him an advantage.
Lions Face Offensive Crisis After Losing Top Receiver
The Lions suffered a major blow with their Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers, which dropped them out of a playoff spot in the NFC. Detroit also lost top receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown, who suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and did not return.
St. Brown is expected to miss one or two weeks, but head coach Dan Campbell said he believes the team can still keep up the pace. Campbell praised the team’s pass-catching group, saying they can all make plays when needed.
“I do have a lot of trust in Tom Kennedy. I do have a lot of trust in [Jameson Williams], especially when we know what the coverage is and we’ve got him running. We’ve still got Gibbs,” Campbell said,
