The Las Vegas Raiders will start quarterback Aidan O’Connell for the team’s Week 6 matchup at home with the Pittsburgh Steelers, coach Antonio Pierce announced Wednesday.
O’Connell took over for the benched Gardner Minshew with over a quarter left in the team’s Week 5 loss to the Denver Broncos. After replacing Minshew, O’Connell went 10-for-20 for 94 yards and an interception when Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II deflected a pass intended for tight end Brock Bowers and picked him off in the fourth quarter.
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Minshew completed 12 of 17 passes for 137 yards and one touchdown, but he also threw two interceptions and took some ugly sacks. On his last drive, Minshew underthrew receiver Tre Tucker and was picked off by Broncos cornerback Riley Moss. Pierce decided he saw enough and put O’Connell in.
In addition to his time under center on Sunday, O’Connell also stepped in for the team’s final offensive series in the Raiders’ Week 3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers. He led a touchdown drive, but the Raiders returned to Minshew for the next two games.
O’Connell, a 2023 fourth-round pick out of Purdue University, will face a tough test in the Steelers for his first start of 2024. Pittsburgh is tied for the second-fewest points allowed (73) and ranks eighth in yards allowed (1,490). Las Vegas will enter that matchup in last place in the AFC West with a 2-3 record, while Pittsburgh is tied for the AFC North lead at 3-2.
Last season Pierce, the then-interim head coach, pivoted to O’Connell midseason, placing the rookie quarterback at starter ahead of Jimmy Garoppolo. The Raiders went 5-5 under O’Connell and he threw for 2,218 yards and 12 touchdowns. Las Vegas posted its two highest-scoring outings of the year with O’Connell, including a 30-6 win over the New York Giants as well as a 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
(Photo: Matthew Stockman / Getty Images)
