There’s not a full-blown quarterback controversy in Las Vegas, at least for now.
Just one week after an impressive victory over the Baltimore Ravens, the Las Vegas Raiders took a big step backward in an ugly loss to the Carolina Panthers. The Raiders fell 36-22 at home to the Andy Dalton-led Panthers, who jumped out to a 27-7 lead through three quarters.
While the Raiders had plenty of glaring issues in the loss, one noteworthy decision by head coach Antonio Pierce came after the Raiders cut the lead to 33-15. They got the ball back with just over nine minutes remaining and a chance to make it a two-score game, but quarterback Gardner Minshew threw an interception on the drive’s second play.
Pierce decided to make a change immediately after, putting in backup quarterback and 2023 starter Aidan O’Connell. He addressed this decision, as ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez highlighted.
“The game was kind of out of hand and we’ve got two quarterbacks that battled,” Pierce said. “[So let’s] let the other guy go in there and see what he can do for a little bit.”
Following this loss, the Raiders are 1-2 on the season, and nothing indicates that Pierce plans to shake things up at the quarterback position.
Raiders’ offensive struggles highlighted by underutilization of Davante Adams
Minshew has completed a high percentage of his passes (73.7) through three games but has thrown just three touchdown passes and three interceptions. He and O’Connell, who the team selected in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, were in a tight competition for the starting job throughout training camp, with Minshew getting the nod late in the preseason. Through O’Connell’s 11 games last season, he completed 62.1 percent of his passes for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
The Raiders offense as a group has left much to be desired through three games, and the inability to consistently get star wide receiver Davante Adams going is a primary concern. Unsurprisingly, the lone victory this season for Pierce and company was by far the best showing from Adams, who caught nine passes for 110 yards and one touchdown.
If the Raiders can’t consistently get the ball into the hands of their best offensive weapon, then something has to change soon. If not, this season could get ugly fast with a tough stretch just around the corner, as the Raiders face the Pittsburgh Steelers, Los Angeles Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals and Miami Dolphins beginning in Week 6.
