Tag: Gardner Minshew

Raiders 2024 midseason Busters

Those who have had the roughest time in an ugly season for the Raiders.

Now that we’ve separated the positive performers aka the Ballers, let’s move on to those whose performances led most directly to the Raiders’ 2-7 record and their five-game losing streak.

Busters

HC Antonio Pierce, OC Luke Getsy

A head coach who preaches not riding the emotional rollercoaster but who lets every loss cause him to make unwise public statements and every week not commit to his starting quarterback. And who always seems to make the wrong decision on 4th down.

We knew these were going to be issues of his coming into the season, which is why he surrounded himself with former head coaches on his staff. But their influence has not been able to curb his worst tendencies. The team is falling apart at the seams on both sides of the ball and all we hear is the same old lines about execution and taking care of the ball.

Days before Getsy was fired, he clapped back at a question about the team’s inability to keep up the offensive success past the first scripted drive. His response was that there is no such thing as a scripted drive, even though that’s a very commonly known concept. And the Raiders have been terrible at sustaining anything past the first drive.

It seems like after that first drive, his game plan seems to consist of simply trying to do what the defense least expects. Even though the reason defense wouldn’t expect it is because it’s just a bad idea. For instance, he will call for runs when the pass has been working, and vice versa. And it has cause many drives to stall either at the doorstep of scoring range or in goal-to-go situations. And this team can ill afford to miss opportunities like that.

The previously successful run game has been an unmitigated disaster in the zone blocking scheme he implemented and the offense as a whole has looked completely lost.

LT Kolton Miller

Three times this season Kolton Miller was the Top Buster with four times a Buster overall. He just hasn’t been himself. He has given up six sacks this season, which puts him on pace for 11 sacks which would be by far his most sacks allowed since his rookie season.

QB Gardner Minshew

Speaking of guys having their worst seasons…Minshew has thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (6) this seasons. There’s also been several instances where he panicked at the first sign of pressure and just bounced around inside the pocket until he was sacked.

RB Zamir White

Nothing has gone well on the ground for the Raiders. However, Alexander Mattison for outplayed White which is saying a lot. And it’s the reason Mattison ended up taking his job.

In his first season as the named starter, he has averaged just 2.9 yards per carry and has two fumbles. Despite being a strong back, he hasn’t had success in short yardage, often going down at first contact. He also has just six catches on the season.

C Andre James

Three times this season, James was a Buster. He was injured in Week eight which had rookie Jackson-Powers Johnson move over to center from left guard, and the difference was obvious. JPJ had his best game of the season and was named a Baller. Something James has not accomplished this season.

DT John Jenkins

Jenkins has done almost nothing this season. Unless you consider getting routinely pushed up field on the block as doing something. The Raiders run defense has been abhorrent this season and the door is often opened when he gets sent backward. He had 61 tackles last season and he won’t come close to that this season on his current pace. He also has yet to record a tackle for loss and has just two QB hits.

T Thayer Munford, T DJ Glaze

Between the two of them, they have five times been Busters over the first nine games. Munford started the season and held up well in the season opener. But the next week he was the Top Buster on a team that otherwise had a great game. He was injured the following week and Glaze stepped in.

In his six starts this season, Glaze has been a Buster three times, including two of the past three games.

Munford came in last week as the team’s third string left tackle and absolutely lit up, including Trey Hendrickson putting up three sacks on him. He has given up five sacks this season despite playing in just two full games.

See the Ballers

Raiders 2024 midseason awards: Top newcomer, breakout player, best position group, more

It’s the midway mark for the NFL season. And it happens to also be the bye week for the Raiders. So, with that in mind, let’s dole out some awards.

It’s the midway mark for the NFL season. And it happens to also be the bye week for the Raiders. So, with that in mind, let’s dole out some awards.

This was an easy choice. Bowers has been on a record pace this season for rookie tight ends. His 580 yards receiving is best among tight ends and his 57 catches is second in the league at any position behind only Jets WR Garrett Wilson.

Not a lot of competition for this award. But prior to Wilkins’s injury he was one of the best free agent signings of any team this offseason. They’re hoping he can return this season.

He was benched four games into his rookie season. Now he’s playing at a high level as an earned starting cornerback. He hasn’t logged an interception, but he routinely shows great skills and sticky coverage on some very talented deep threats.

No Raiders players are either coming back from a major injury or coming back to previous from off of a down season. Perhaps that will change by season’s end, but for now, there’s simply no one who fits this award.

If you’d prefer to put Luke Getsy here, I get it. But, personally, I don’t think a lot was expected of Getsy. He was not nearly the Raiders top choice for the job and was somehow even worse. Minshew was expected to at least add a steady presence at QB to settle down the offense. He wasn’t seen as someone who would win games for the Raiders, but rather not lose them. And he hasn’t lived up to that.

Not only did he not jump in and take the reins of the offense in camp as the Raiders had hoped, he’s been benched several times this season as he has thrown more interceptions (8) than touchdowns (8).

When all else fails — and it has — at least the Raiders have their kick squad. Daniel Carlson and AJ Cole are still arguably the best kicking duo in the league.

You could also go with “Only good game” as the title of this award. That win in Baltimore looks more and more like a fluke the farther down the line we get from it. Their other win was because Deshaun Watson was so determined to lose it for the Browns. The Ravens game was the only game this season the Raiders actually went out and earned the victory. Not coincidentally, it was also the only game they increased their scoring in the second half.

There were many to choose from for this one. Just pick one, really.

Could go with the home opening loss to the Panthers in which they never led and Andy Dalton led offense to put up 33 points in in the first 47 minutes.

Maybe the Rams where the Raiders turned the ball over four times?

Perhaps the Chiefs game where the running backs averaged less than a yard per carry?

Or the Steelers game where Pittsburgh rattled off 26 unanswered?

Or the Broncos who had a 100-yard pick six and rattled off 34 unanswered?

There’s always this past week against the Bengals when the Raiders gave up scores on the Bengals first five drives — four of which went for touchdowns — and allowed a season-high 41 points?

Too many options to choose from to pick just one.

Best punter in the league. Periodt.

Yes, the best rookie has also been their best offensive player. Not ideal, but there’s no one else who is even a viable candidate for this award.

He won AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the team’s come-from-behind win in Baltimore in Week two. He’s been battling an ankle injury for several weeks, which has limited his effectiveness, but he’s still their top defender.

Antonio Pierce won’t commit to Raiders starting QB heading into bye week

Is Gardner Minshew still the Raiders starting QB or will he be replaced by Desmond Ridder? Antonio Pierce isn’t ready to make that decision.

Here we go again. Back to the Raiders being in limbo at the QB position. In the third quarter of Sunday’s game, looking at a 31-10 deficit, the Raiders pulled starter Gardner Minshew in favor of Desmond Ridder.

At the time, you could write it off as the Raiders just being down three scores and just pulling their starter. But if that were the case, Monday morning you’d expect to hear the head coach commit to Minshew as the starter. He didn’t do that.

“I’m using the bye week to look at everything.” Pierce said in response to a question about the team’s starting quarterback.

This controversy at the QB position has been going on almost weekly dating back to the beginning of the offseason.

First it was Aidan O’Connell taking all the first team reps. Then by minicamp, Minshew started getting some first team reps. By camp they shared first team reps equally. It wasn’t until two weeks prior to the start of the season that Pierce named Minshew the starter. And even then, he made it clear he wasn’t confident in his choice, saying he would give Minshew the first quarter of the season and re-evaluate at that time.

Just a week after Minshew led a come-from-behind win in Baltimore, struggles at home against the Panthers had Pierce putting in O’Connell late in the game and already waffling on Minshew as the starter.

Two weeks later, he made the switch, benching Minshew in favor of O’Connell. Then in just his second start, O’Connell left with a thumb injury and Minshew was back in as the starter.

The next day the team signed Desmond Ridder off the Cardinals practice squad and Sunday, after just two weeks with the team, he was in the game for Minshew.

Now, Pierce is saying he is using the coming week to decide whether Ridder will be the team’s starter or not. And you can bet, even if Ridder isn’t named the starter this week, the question will come up every single week if Minshew struggles.

WATCH: Raiders respond with opening drive TD from Gardner Minshew to Jakobi Meyers

The Raiders responded to the Chiefs opening drive TD with their own opening drive TD on a nice pass from Gardner Minshew to Jakobi Meyers.

Welcome back, Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders offense clearly missed him greatly the past two weeks. The veteran receiver returned this week and had an immediate impact.

Meyers caught two passes on the opening drive for the Raiders, including the touchdown from ten yards out.

The touchdown answered the Chiefs after their opening drive touchdown and tied the game at 7-7.

Busters for Raiders Week 7 loss to Rams

There’s plenty of blame to go around for the Raiders’ latest ugly display. But I’m still going to try and really zero on in the worst of the worst.

There’s plenty of blame to go around for the Raiders’ latest ugly display. But I’m still going to try and really zero on in the worst of the worst.

Busters

QB Gardner Minshew

His first drive looked decent, leading the Raiders to their first score. But it went downhill after that. His second possession they went three-and-out. His next drive ended with him rolling left on third down and forcing a pass to Brock Bowers that was easily intercepted. There was no reason to even attempt that pass. Just a terrible decision on Minshew’s part. And it led to the Rams’ first TD.

In fact, Minshew would turn the ball over four times in the games. The first three led to TD’s  – two interceptions and a fumble scoop and score – and the fourth one ended the game.

Every time he got even near the red zone, things would fall apart. First time, he got to the 25 and went 0-2, second time he got to the 24 and had a false start and went 0-2, third time he got to the 23 and went 0-2, fourth time he got the ball at the 14 off a turnover and went 0-1, And the fifth time he got to the 15 and went 0-2 – completing one pass that was stopped for no gain. Yeah, that’s right, five times from the 25-yard line or closer, he didn’t complete a single pass for positive yards. Going 1-10.

T DJ Glaze

The first drive of the game ended with Glaze giving up a pressure that led to a bad pass on third down and a punt. The next drive he was flagged for holding and the Raiders were unable to make the yards back up, but in the process of trying, Aidan O’Connell injured his thumb on a rushing defender and is now on injured reserve.

His final act was to jump early on fourth and goal from the four when the Raiders needed a touchdown to have a chance to tie it up. Suddenly the fourth and goal at the four became fourth and goal at the nine.

G Jordan Meredith, C Andre James

The second score for the Rams came on defense. When Meredith failed to block Cobie Durant and he shot through to hit Minshew for the strip sack. Kam Curl picked it up and returned it for the touchdown to give the Rams a 14-3 lead in the second quarter.

The first possession of the third quarter for the Raiders ended with a three-and-out and it was led out with James giving up a run stuff.

The Nate Hobbs interception gave the Raiders the ball at the LA 14-yard-line. On first down, Minshew threw for Brock Bowers for six yards, but James was flagged for ineligible man down field to bring it back.

On the final drive for the Raiders, Meredith missed his block to give up a run stuff on third down that forced the Raiders to go for it on fourth and one. Then on first and goal from the four, James gave up a pressure, forcing Minshew to throw the ball away.

T Kolton Miller

Late in the second quarter, the Raiders drove to the Rams’ 24-yard line looking to get their first touchdown. That ended in part because Miller gave up a hit on Minshew, leading to a bad throw, so they settled for a field goal to go into the locker room down 14-6.

The Raiders were in third and five from the LA nine-yard line to begin the fourth quarter. But Miller gave up a pressure and Minshew ditched it out of bounds to preserve at least a field goal. The next drive he gave up a run stuff for a loss.

DT John Jenkins

After the Rams’ first takeaway, the first play saw Jenkins driven back nine yards on a run play that put them in scoring range. He later was seen being pushed back on another nine-yard run and on the final Rams’ possession, while they looked to run clock, he was blocked back on a 14-yard run. Jenkins finished with zero tackles or any other stat in the game.

HC Antonio Pierce, OC Luke Getsy

With a reprieve on the missed field goal (and earlier extra point), the Raiders went on what was to be their long drive to try and salvage the game. A touchdown and two-point conversion ties it. They would get all the way to the four-yard-line. Along the way they converted a fourth down with a Mattison run, followed by a nine-yard Zamir White run, and then a 12-yard end around by Tre Tucker to put them in first and goal at the four. And would get no closer.

From there, Getsy inexplicably went away from the run completely, calling three pass plays despite Minshew having been 0-7 on passes inside the 28-yard line before that. Then on fourth down, DJ Glaze was flagged for a false start and Antonio Pierce lost his nerve, opting for a field goal instead. This despite a field goal keeping them a touchdown away and giving up major field position and clock time in the process. A terrible decision by Pierce that at best made their hopes of tying or winning the game exponentially more difficult and at worst sealed the Raiders fate.

See the Ballers

Raiders worst in NFL in every turnover statistic after Week 7

Every one of the primary turnover statistics has the Raiders dead last. In some cases by a wide margin.

I don’t know how rare this is, but the Raiders are sitting in quite a spot in terms of turnovers. Seven weeks in, the Raiders are the worst is every turnover statistic. Some by a wide margin.

Here are the bottom five in each of the turnover stats for this season:

Interceptions:

28. Chiefs 8
28. Packers 8
28. Titans 8
31. Panthers 9
32. Raiders 10

Gardner Minshew 8
Aidan O’Connell 2

Fumbles lost:

27. Patriots 5
27. Vikings 5
27. Broncos 5
27. Saints 5
31. Cardinals 6
31. Raiders 6

Gardner Minshew 2
Zamir White 2
Ameer Abdullah 1
Dylan Laube 1

Turnovers:

26. Packers 11
26. 49ers 11
26. Cowboys 11
26. Saints 11
30. Panthers 12
30. Titans 12
32. Raiders 16

Turnover differential

28. Eagles -6
28. Cowboys -6
28. Panthers -6
31. Titans -9
32. Raiders -13

Robert Spillane 1 INT
Tre’von Moehrig 1 INT
Nate Hobbs 1 INT

To make matters worse, they have yet to recover a single forced a fumble this season. So, they’re tied for the worst in that category as well.

These stats are why their turnover differential is twice that of the teams just two spots ahead of them.

Four times this season the Raiders have turned the ball over at least three times. Sunday against the Rams they turned it over four times. The first three turned in to touchdowns. The fourth ended the game.

Injury update: Raiders send QB Aidan O’Connell to injured reserve with broken thumb

O’Connell’s injury is a broken thumb just as was feared. He is expected to miss 6-7 weeks.

Initial speculation on Aidan O’Connell’s injury during Sunday’s game against the Rams was that he had broken his thumb. That speculation turned out to be true as revealed Monday morning and the team is sending the second year QB to injured reserve.

The expected timeline for O’Connell’s return is set at 4-6 weeks.

O’Connell broke the thumb on the follow-thru of a pass in which his hand hit the hand of an oncoming rusher. To add insult to the injury, the officials didn’t see it and flagged him for intentional grounding.

Gardner Minshew came in the game to replace O’Connell and will be the starter during his absence.

Minshew had been the starter for the first five games of the season until O’Connell was named the starter. This was just his second start this season.

Injury update: Gardner Minshew replaces Aidan O’Connell who leaves with injury

And injury to Aidan O’Connell had him leave the Raiders Week seven game against the Rams, ushering in Gardner Minshew at QB.

In the first quarter of the Raiders vs Rams game, Aidan O’Connell left the game with an injury and headed for the locker room. When the Raiders offense returned to the field, Gardner Minshew was in at quarterback.

Minshew had been the starter for the first five games of this season. O’Connell had replaced Minshew as the Raiders starter in Week six against the Steelers.

O’Connell injured his thumb on a pass in which he was flagged for intentional grounding. He was soon ruled Questionable to return. Antonio Pierce told the broadcast in his sideline interview that he doesn’t think O’Connell will be back today.

Minshew came in and led the Raiders on a scoring drive with Daniel Carlson connecting on a 38-yard field goal to put the Raiders up 3-0.

Update: Preliminary tests suggest O’Connell has a broken thumb, which could mean surgery and would threaten to end his season.

Raiders meltdowns are now piling up and they’re getting worse

From the Collapse vs Carolina to the Debacle in Denver to that masterstroke of a meltdown vs the Steelers. The Raiders are spiraling out of control.

Each week it seems the Raiders have a ‘hold my beer’ game to outdo their last one. As if they are talking to their past selves and saying ‘that’s nothin! Watch this!’ and setting a new bar for flailing and implosion.

Let’s start with Week three against the Panthers.

The Raiders were coming off a miraculous fourth quarter comeback win in Baltimore and in turn were feeling pretty good about themselves as they prepped for their home opener.

The Raiders managed to score on their opening drive and it was tied up 7-7 at the end of the first quarter. From that point on, Andy Dalton and the Panthers boat raced them. The Raiders run game went nowhere, averaging 2.9 yards per carry while the defense was gouged by big plays time and time again. It was 33-7 before the Raiders offense even converted another third down!

After the game came the infamous remarks from Antonio Pierce accusing more than one of his players of making ‘business decisions’ in the game.

The following week Davante Adams was out with a sudden hamstring injury, Maxx Crosby missed his first career game, and Jack Jones was benched for the first half. The Raiders somehow held on for the win merely by virtue of Deshaun Watson being utterly terrible.

And the next day Adams requested a trade and hasn’t played since.

Week five was a trip to Denver against a Broncos team that on paper seemed to be a fairly similar team — good defense but a struggling defense.

The Raiders scored a touchdown on their opening drive and jumped out to a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. They were well on their way to scoring a third time to take what would have been a 17-3 lead. But Gardner Minshew overshot Brock Bowers at point blank range and Patrick Surtain Jr picked it off and returned it 100 yards for a touchdown.

Despite consecutive three-and-out by the Raider, it was still tied at 10-10 with two minutes left in the first half and the Raiders got the ball back with just under two minutes with a chance to right the ship and take the lead back. Their attempt consisted of two penalties, three runs, and a punt. So, the Broncos got the ball back and scored instead.

In the third quarter, Minshew threw another interception, was benched for Aidan O’Connell who then also threw an interception. Meanwhile the Broncos rattled off 34 straight points, putting the game away with more than eight minutes left in the game.

That brings us to last Sunday which took the meltdown to new levels.

O’Connell got the start and led the Raiders on a touchdown drive to start things off. That was the scripted drive. And that was where the success ended, soon devolving in a tragicomedy.

The next two drives ended in three-and-outs. Then on the fourth play of the next drive, rookie running back Dylan Laube got his first career carry. Before he even got to the line of scrimmage, the ball was punched out and recovered at the Vegas 30-yard line.

On the second play of the Steelers possession, the Raiders took it back…for an instant. Divine Deablo intercepted a Justin Fields pass over the middle and the Raiders got the ball right back. But wait, a flag. It was roughing the passer on Matthew Butler, who landed on Fields and then stayed in his face while on the turf. The interception was wiped away and the Steelers kept the ball, moving 12 yards closer. A few plays later they were in the end zone.

To begin the third quarter, they had an 18-yard Brock Bowers catch called back by an Andre James holding penalty. That led to a punt. And the punt was blocked, with the Steelers getting the ball at the Vegas nine-yard line and they added a field goal to take a 15-7 lead.

The next Steelers drive looked to end with a punt, but K’Lavon Chaisson was flagged for roughing the passer. Two plays later, Najee Harris got the left edge and went 36 yards for the touchdown.

Now down 22-7, the Raiders needed to put something together to have a chance. They drove to first and goal at the eight. Alexander Mattison took a short pass and scored the touchdown. But, wait, there was a flag. Jackson Powers-Johnson was illegally downfield.

The next play, Ameer Abdullah ran for the end zone, diving toward the goal line and appeared as if he may have gotten in. He was ruled down at the one and on the next play, he fumbled the ball away.

Next Raiders possession started with O’Connell getting sacked, then on third and 19 from his own four-yard-line, he was intercepted. Justin Fields took the naked boot for a touchdown in one play and that put the game on ice.

This game had it all! Fumbles, penalties nullifying takeaways, penalties keeping drives alive, penalties nullifying scores, fumbles at the goal line, interceptions at your own goal line, and so much more!

It was so bad it made the Collapse vs Carolina and the Debacle in Denver look like child’s play.

This team is a shell of the inspired team that finished last season strong. They are just plain lost. They can cobble things together for a few minutes early in games, but it falls apart quickly and at the first crack in the wall, the whole house comes down. This is three times now we’ve seen it happen in just six games and it is just getting worse with each occurrence.

How do the Raiders possibly outdo themselves now? Tune in next week when they visit the LA Rams.

The Raiders benching Gardner Minshew for Aidan O’Connell signals a major QB change in 2025

A new quarterback seems likely for the Raiders in 2025.

The 2-3 Las Vegas Raiders are officially making a quarterback change, as the team will roll with Aidan O’Connell this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers as opposed to Gardner Minshew.

After a dispiriting 34-18 division loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday, Vegas must’ve felt it necessary to give O’Connell another chance at the job after Minshew struggled.

O’Connell played in 11 games for the Raiders last season, throwing for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions in that span. He’s played in two games so far this season with 176 yards, a touchdown and a pick to show for it.

While O’Connell could play well enough to keep the Raiders’ quarterback job for the rest of the 2024 season, Las Vegas feels destined to find a quarterback of the future in 2025.

Turning on the quarterback carousel in October usually doesn’t mean either guy will have the job next season unless the swap-out option is a rookie, like we’re seeing with the New England Patriots and Drake Maye right now.

Whether this means the Raiders will take a quarterback in the 2025 NFL Draft (Shedeur Sanders?) or go after a veteran free agent like resurgent Minnesota Vikings starter Sam Darnold is unknown. However, a new starting quarterback feels like all but certain for Las Vegas next year.

It’s a near lock at this point unless O’Connell pulls a Kirk Cousins and lives into his full potential as a mid-round draft success.

This quarterback situation may well mean this Raiders team has a pretty firm floor and ceiling in 2024, negatively compounded by the likely trade of wide receiver Davante Adams. That’s a bummer for fans.

Las Vegas might not make it to the playoffs this year, but brighter days could be ahead for the Raiders if they can figure out who the quarterback of the future is and continue to build out the roster.

That’s obviously a tall order and carries no guarantees, but it at least feels like Raiders fans will get the chance to see that plan go through sooner than later. This is a team to absolutely watch for in the 2025 quarterback conversation.

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