As if there were any doubt following the Week 1 performance by Terrelle Pryor, the Oakland Raiders coaching staff has officially named Pryor the starting quarterback moving forward according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter via Twitter:
Terrelle Pryor is Raiders starting QB going forward, team said.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 9, 2013
After all the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position following the departure of Carson Palmer, the Raiders’ coaching staff was willing to roll the dice on Pryor with Matt Flynn dealing with elbow tendinitis. Apparently, the move has paid dividends with Pryor having an explosive performance against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 1.
Along with breaking the franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback with 112, Pryor proved to be a duel threat as he was able to keep the Colts’ defense on their heels with an ability to moving the chains with his arm and legs. Pryor’s versatility has been his greatest asset thus far with the former Ohio State star incredibly difficult to contain once he drops back in the pocket.
Although Pryor has proven to be the best option under center for the Raiders, there’s no question the young quarterback has plenty to work on in order to be a star in the NFL. Pryor is still incredibly raw in terms of his decision making ability in the red zone, but is closer to being a force to be reckoned with than anticipated at this point.
In Week 2, Pryor will lead the offense against arguably one of the worst team in the NFL. The Raiders will play host to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday with the oddsmakers already favoring Pryor and company to come out on top in order to record the first win of the 2013 NFL season.
