Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce did little Monday to clear up questions surrounding his quarterback situation following Sunday’s 36-22 home loss to the previously winless Carolina Panthers.
Veteran QB Gardner Minshew started the match under center but was replaced late in the fourth quarter by second-year signal-caller Aidan O’Connell, the team’s 2023 fourth-round pick who started 10 games last season. Minshew ended the day 18 of 28 (64.3%) for 214 yards, one touchdown and one interception, while O’Connell went 9 of 12 (75%) for 82 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions on the team’s final drive.
Pierce, who called out his team for a glaring “lack of effort” in the loss, told reporters he was trying to give his team “a spark” when asked about the late QB change. Unfortunately for the first-year head coach, that spark never came, as the Raiders lost by double digits and fell to 1-2 on the season.
While Minshew originally beat out O’Connell for the starting position during training camp this offseason, Pierce hasn’t ruled out a change at QB1 for Week 4, saying the team still needed to “evaluate everything” that happened Sunday.
The Raiders signed Minshew, 28, to a two-year, $25 million contract in free agency this offseason, while the 26-year-old O’Connell inked a four-year, $4.35 million rookie deal with Las Vegas in May 2023.
Up next, the Raiders face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, with both teams eyeing their second win of the season.
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