Coming into the season, the biggest question for the Las Vegas Raiders was who would start at quarterback. After a close training camp battle, veteran Gardner Minshew won the job over second-year man Aidan O’Connell, who ended last season as the team’s starter.
Now at 2-3 after five weeks, and with the season already at risk of falling apart due to a ton of drama surrounding the team, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has decided to make a change at the position.
Following practice on Wednesday, Pierce announced that he is benching Minshew and named O’Connell the starting quarterback for the Raiders Week 6 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, via Paul Gutierrez of ESPN:
Aidan O’Connell will start at quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, replacing Gardner Minshew, coach Antonio Pierce announced Wednesday.
Minshew won a tight training camp battle over O’Connell but was twice benched late in his five starts for the Raiders, in losses to the Carolina Panthers and Denver Broncos. The Raiders are 2-3 heading into Sunday’s game.
“I mean, it was a quarterback battle early on,” Pierce said, “and at this point, I think it’s best to go with Aidan going forward.”
While Minshew was completing a career-high 70.7% of his passes, he has also thrown five interceptions through five games, with a 100-yard pick-six last week against the Denver Broncos completely switching the momentum of that contest.
Now, O’Connell has the opportunity to help the Raiders turn things around, and he remains focused simply on the task at hand and getting better every day:
“I definitely know that the job is fluid, and so I’m just trying to do my best, really every day,” O’Connell said. “Today, I’m focusing on today and not really thinking about any days in the future. I’ve got to work on what we’re working on today, try to get better and take each day that way. And it’s hard to do. Your brain wants to go backwards and wants to go forwards, but I think just focusing on the task at hand is the best thing I can do.”
It won’t be easy for O’Connell, who faces a Steelers defense that has been one of the best in the league this season, led by perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate TJ Watt. As O’Connell mentioned, the job is fluid, and Pierce did not rule out the possibility of returning to Minshew if O’Connell can’t get the job done.
But O’Connell will approach this contest the best he can and do everything in his power to help turn the corner for this Raiders team and come out with a win.
Raiders’ Christian Wilkins Out Indefinitely after Foot Surgery
Unfortunately, Aidan O’Connell and the rest of the Raiders were dealt a blow as defensive tackle Christian Wilkins underwent foot surgery and is out indefinitely.
Wilkins was off to a strong start in his debut season for the Raiders after signing a huge contract in free agency, ranking second on the team in sacks and QB hits and third in tackles for loss.
