Did Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels really throw his rookie quarterback under the bus after Sunday’s loss? Hm, either that or we’re reading too much into it.
The Raiders now sit at 1-3, and while not an abysmal record in itself considering it’s early in the season, there’s more to it. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Raiders fan that doesn’t feel like the wheels are quickly coming off. Ahead of Sunday’s action, all of the buzz surrounding the Silver and Black had to do with the quarterback dilemma. With Jimmy Garoppolo out, it would be down to legendary journeyman Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell; McDaniels went with the latter.
The Raiders are falling off real fast…
In turn, O’Connell played tough and showed heart, but it just wasn’t enough. Some costly turnovers proved to be too much in the end. Still, one quick sidebar: O’Connell was the first Raiders quarterback to score a rushing touchdown in their pro debut (h/t Scott Gulbransen), so that’s a positive note. Unfortunately, McDaniels didn’t seem too impressed after the game. A red zone interception and three fumbles left a lot to be desired for the second-year head coach.
“Playing quarterback in our league starts with taking care of the football.”
While McDaniels is technically right, the timing of it is highly suspect. O’Connell had far from a perfect outing, but considering how poor the offensive line looked, he hung in there. Let’s not overlook the fact that No. 4 was sacked seven times. On top of that, McDaniels had a rough display of play-calling in this one—maybe some accountability instead of arrogantly throwing O’Connell under the bus?
It looks like McDaniels can’t wait until Garoppolo comes back this week.
Regardless, a loss comes down to the team as a whole. O’Connell talk aside, the offensive line has steadily regressed this season, and it was very evident on Sunday. Former Raider Khalil Mack himself had a career day against his former team—one of the biggest disruptors that Brandon Staley threw at O’Connell. As expected, Josh McDaniels had no answer for No. 52.
This is going to be a long week, indeed.
A 32-year-old Khalil Mack, who had 0 sacks coming into the game, cooked your O-line.
Oh, and no Joey Bosa or Derwin James today—but that was the best you could do out there?
How is this man an NFL head coach?pic.twitter.com/ZL9TYKedMB
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) October 2, 2023
*Top Photo: Getty Images