The Las Vegas Raiders are entering a crucial 2024 season after missing the postseason last year. The team finished the year with a record of 8-9, showing some competitive fight down the stretch.
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After Antonio Pierce took over at the head coaching spot, the Raiders seemed to vibe with his style of coaching. Las Vegas brought him back for this season, taking the interim label off.
One of the bigger storylines from the Raiders is who would be starting at quarterback when the year starts. Las Vegas has two options to choose from, Aidan O’Connell or Gardner Minshew.
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It was announced on Sunday that Minshew would be the starter. He will open the season for the Raiders against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The #Raiders are naming Gardner Minshew their starting QB, per sources.
Coach Antonio Pierce just informed the QBs of his decision after a camp battle between Minshew and Aidan O’Connell.
Minshew Mania continues in Las Vegas, which opens Sept. 8 vs. the #Chargers. pic.twitter.com/3E2zLgcOJA
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 18, 2024
Both have seen reps in the preseason and Pierce is now ready to name his starter. The head coach mentioned that he was going to pick between the two soon and he has now made his decision.
“Yeah, we’ve seen enough reps,” he said in his news conference. “Two games, like we talked about. Our guys are not playing in the third preseason game, our starters, so we’ll sleep on it and make a decision in the next couple days.”
Minshew got the start in the second preseason game for the Raiders against the Dallas Cowboys. O’Connell started week one of the preseason, giving each player a chance to make a statement.
In the game against Dallas, neither did much of anything. O’Connell went 14-of-20, throwing for 96 yards and one touchdown.
Minshew went 10/21 for 95 yards with no scores. He also gained five yards on the ground with his feet.
O’Connell did throw a pick-six, which Pierce said would likely weigh against him in the decision.
“I mean, everything,” Pierce said when asked how much the pick-six weighed over O’Connell’s TD drive. “You can’t take the good and not take the bad. Wish it went well for both gentlemen. It just didn’t, and we’ll evaluate. They both had opportunities. Aidan had 20 attempts and Minshew had 21, so about as balanced as we can get it. We’ll look at it. Obviously you saw what our plan was tonight, throw the ball around and let these guys show what they can do.”
O’Connell gives the Raiders more of a youth movement, given that he is entering his second season. Minshew is a veteran of the NFL and signed a lucrative contract with Las Vegas in the offseason.
Both guys have shown that they can be starters in the NFL but it’s now it’s Minshew’s job to lose. Pierce is as fierce of a competitor as there is in the league and the veteran will need to play well to keep his spot.
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