The Las Vegas Raiders faced a tough setback on Sunday, losing 34-18 to the Denver Broncos. Quarterback Gardner Minshew was benched in favor of Aidan O’Connell, but head coach Antonio Pierce hasn’t made a firm decision on the starting role moving forward.
When asked about the quarterback situation during the postgame press conference, Pierce simply replied, “I don’t know.”
Initially, Minshew and the Raiders started strong, linking up with tight end Brock Bowers for a spectacular 57-yard touchdown on their opening drive. They quickly led 10-0 after adding a field goal.
The momentum seemed to be on their side as Ameer Abdullah made a significant 40-yard run, pushing the team deep into Broncos territory. They reached the red zone without even facing a third down and were set up with a 1st-and-Goal at the five-yard line. However, disaster struck when Minshew’s pass was intercepted by Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II, who returned it for a 100-yard touchdown.
After this pivotal moment, the Raiders struggled offensively, punting on their next four drives before Minshew threw another interception, leading to his benching.
O’Connell entered the game but didn’t perform remarkably, completing 10 of 20 passes for 94 yards and one interception. Minshew ended his outing with 137 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions on 12 of 17 passing.
The loss leaves the Raiders at a disappointing 2-3 for the season, sitting in last place in the AFC West.
Minshew began the season as the starter, but Pierce hinted at potential changes. After the Raiders’ previous loss to the Carolina Panthers, he mentioned that a quarterback switch could be in the cards to reignite the offense.
For the season, Minshew has totaled 877 passing yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. O’Connell has seen action before, having filled in for Jimmy Garoppolo last season and throwing for over 2,200 yards with 12 touchdowns in 11 games.