Antonio Pierce Considers QB Change After Disastrous Loss to Panthers

The first few weeks of the NFL season have been nothing short of unpredictable. Baltimore Ravens Behind Gardner Minshew’s impressive late-game performance in Week 2, Las Vegas Raiders They entered their Week 3 match against Carolina Panthers with all its momentum.

Carolina has been outscored 70-13 through the first two weeks of the season benching the last number 1 pick Bryce Young is backing up Andy Dalton, a 36-year-old in his prime. On paper, this was the Raiders. You know what that means. The Panthers completely destroyed Vegas, and it was one of the best QB performances we’ve seen all season.

Dalton became the first quarterback in the 2024 campaign to throw for 300-plus passing yards and three touchdowns in a single game. The Panthers won 36-22, but the game wasn’t actually that close. The Raiders managed to build a lead in the second half when Carolina was already out of reach.

Las Vegas’ performance was so bad that Antonio Pierce benched Gardner Minshew late in the fourth quarter and replaced him with second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell. The result was a quick touchdown drive. After the game, Pierce said, “The upcomingbusiness decisions“It’ll be done next week. When asked more specifically about the quarterback position on Monday, he left the door wide open for a changing of the guard.

“I think we need to get together with the players and evaluate what happened yesterday,” Pierce said. told reportersThis is a phrase the coach uses to mean “my starting point guard is not safe in his current role.”

While Pierce hasn’t commented outright on Minshew’s situation, simply keeping the door open for a change is a huge improvement. O’Connell was perceived as neck and neck with Minshew in the QB competition for most of training camp. The Raiders went 5-5 with O’Connell under center as a rookie, so there’s precedent for Pierce to have success on the field with the former fourth-round pick.

Now, it’s probably fair to put some of the blame on offensive coordinator Luke Getsy; he was also responsible for this situation. Chicago Bears‘ an offense that would have been reprehensible a season ago. But it’s still hard to fully trust Minshew, a career backup with a spotty past at best. He made the Pro Bowl with Indianapolis last season, but Shane Steichen was running the plays, not Luke Getsy. The Raiders don’t lack viable pass-catchers — Davante Adams and Brock Bowers are both Pro Bowl worthy at their positions — but Minshew lacks the dynamic arm talent to really make an offense sing. He’s more of an overconfident game manager who needs a steady guiding hand, which Getsy isn’t.

O’Connell is not without his own flaws, and it’s fair to wonder if the Raiders quarterback will figure into the team’s plans beyond this season. Quinn Ewers, Carson Beck, Shedeur Sanders and 2025 NFL Draft class That looks very appealing to Raiders fans these days. In the short term, however, Las Vegas appears to be on the verge of change. If Minshew can somehow pull off a mediocre Week 3, O’Connell will likely be one more bust away from sitting on the bench as he tries to dig Las Vegas out of a hole.