After Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out for their Week 4 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers with a concussion, the Las Vegas Raiders had a decision to make: start veteran Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell at quarterback?
As it turns out, the Raiders are going with the latter, with ESPN’s Adam Schefter reporting that O’Connell will get the call for Las Vegas’ AFC West showdown.
Selected out of Purdue in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, O’Connell enjoyed an impressive preseason ahead of the start of his rookie campaign. Appearing in three games, the 25-year-old signal-caller completed 43 of his 62 pass attempts (69.4 percent) for 482 yards and three touchdowns.
While Hoyer has served as Garoppolo’s primary backup through the first three weeks of the season, Las Vegas spent the week leading up to Sunday’s game preparing O’Connell to start. According to Schefter, the two-time second-team All-Big Ten selection received the majority — if not all — of the first-team reps in practice this past week as Garoppolo remained in concussion protocol following the Raiders’ Week 3 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
With both Las Vegas and Los Angeles entering Sunday’s game with 1-2 records, the matchup is a pivotal one for both teams. But while O’Connell is a rookie, many took to social media to praise Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels for playing the younger quarterback, who is perceived to have a higher upside than Hoyer.
https://twitter.com/NJRaiderG/status/1708447676000260122
Great news for #RaiderNation now let's get a W #Raiders
No chance that was going to happen with Hoyer
That makes one good decision by this head coach https://t.co/Z6u3OBQKyL
— JPRaider (@JPRaiderNFL) October 1, 2023
Right decision Raiders have got to see if the rookie got what it takes https://t.co/SKiL8CG0ID
— Welcome to the party, pal. (@dustinjkohne) October 1, 2023
I’m shocked tbh lol. Raiders making the right decision for once lol. Look he might be trash but u gotta see wassup especially vs a horrible defense missing key guys like Bosa. https://t.co/50yQZArPfD
— Mayo (@YDKI007) October 1, 2023
Good decision for the Raiders by Josh McDaniels.
No reason to start a 37 y/o Brian Hoyer. May as well see what you have in Aidan O’Connell, who stood out in the preseason. https://t.co/j3ZQXsPtBj
— Lior (@LiorLampert1) October 1, 2023
Raiders made a good decision???? pic.twitter.com/58bZ6zqdwE
— avgBallKnower (@avgBallKnower) October 1, 2023
I cant believe that McDaniels actually made the right call & with Garoppalo out today he’s putting the rookie Aidan O’Connell at QB, I guess he stayed at a Holiday Inn. I know people thought Hoyer should start but he’s lost his last 6 starts & he’s more of a hand it off kinda QB.
— Jarrod Daniel Schalow (@JarrodSchalow) October 1, 2023
Raiders actually doing the right thing is not a sentence I typically write
— Clevta (@Clevta) October 1, 2023
[ESPN]
