Say what you will about Aidan O’Connell, but the Las Vegas Raiders starting quarterback did his best to keep the team afloat on Black Friday.
Aidan O’Connell played the best game of this season for our QB group that being said the Raiders must strive to elevate that group in the offseason. Just Facts.
— WastedTalent (@WastedRaiders) November 30, 2024
Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell shines against AFC West rival…
With the way things transpired for the Silver and Black, particularly Gardner Minshew’s selection as the opening week starter, it’s easy to look back and reflect. Would the season have gone any different had O’Connell gotten an opportunity? The truth is, neither quarterback stood out during their “competition.” Still, what we all witnessed on Friday certainly paints an intriguing picture. Imagine Brock Bowers dominating defenders, Jackson Powers-Johnson anchoring a young O-line, and a post-Davante Adams offense, raising questions about what could have been with No. 12 at the helm.
Well, that’s neither here nor there.
Reality is often uglier, isn’t it, Raider Nation? The Raiders failed to secure a victory, thereby increasing their overall loss tally for the year to ten. Be that as it may, head coach Antonio Pierce acknowledged the O’Connell’s efforts, which certainly merit praise.
“Thought he competed. I thought for what we knew we were getting with Steve Spagnuolo and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, and took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field; he threw them. And I thought our skill guys did a hell of a job competing and making some really good plays for us.”
Even Pro Football Focus shed light on O’Connell’s day; he earned a 77.6 overall grade. Posting a career-high in passing yardage (340) while tossing a pair of touchdowns, O’Connell made the most of his opportunity. If O’Connell hadn’t sustained his thumb injury more than a month ago, the Raiders might have been flirting with a .500 football record instead of a tie with the New York Giants at 2-10 for the worst overall NFL record.
If nothing else, at least the Raiders have their QB2 for the foreseeable future.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
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