After awful offensive performance, will Raiders make a QB change?
A quarterback change for the Las Vegas Raiders doesn't seem unreasonable after they were shut out in Sunday's loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
During his Monday news conference, Raiders interim head coach Antonio Pierce didn't rule out the possibility that he will bench rookie QB Aidan O'Connell and presumably turn back to Jimmy Garoppolo.
"We're just going through the process," Pierce said. "We're not going to rush to make any decision and not do anything emotional based on what I read here or what anybody's telling me. I'll go off my gut."
Las Vegas benched Jimmy G after a Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions. In six games, he completed 65.5% of his passes for 1,205 yards, seven TDs, nine interceptions and a below-average 78.1 passer rating.
O'Connell hasn't fared much better. In seven games, the fifth-round pick out of Purdue has completed 63.8% of his passes for four TDs, seven picks and a below-average 74.8 passer rating.
Despite his struggles, some believe Pierce should stick with O'Connell to let him gain more experience and overcome his growing pains.
"Going back to Garoppolo is not the answer," The Athletic's Ted Nguyen wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The evaluation of [O'Connell] is ongoing. You're not fighting for the playoffs, be real. There's nothing to gain by starting Jimmy."
The Raiders (5-8) are fading out of the playoff hunt after losing three straight games and rank 28th in the league in points scored (15.5). Taking Garoppolo off the bench probably wouldn't make a difference.
Regardless, Las Vegas doesn't have an answer at the most important position and should mull taking a QB in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The class is loaded with talented prospects, including USC's Caleb Williams, LSU's Jayden Daniels and Washington's Michael Penix Jr.
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