If No Jimmy Garoppolo, It Should Be Aidan O'Connell Time

With quarterback Garoppolo in concussion protocol, if he is anything less than 100 percent healthy, the Raiders should start Aidan O'Connell.

The Las Vegas Raiders already find themselves at one of the many crossroads they will face this season. Their big offseason signing at quarterback, who they thought was better than their previous quarterback, Derek Carr, has yet to show any signs at all that he is in fact, an upgrade over Carr.

While it is a long season, and it has only been three games, there is no denying the Raiders' offense has many problems that it must fix if they plan on competing for a playoff spot this season. 

Between not playing football for an extended period of time because of an injury, joining a new team and having zero time this offseason to prepare with his star running back, Jimmy Garoppolo has faced his expected fair share of growing pains. 

However, growing pains or not, Garoppolo's play has not been what the Raiders' front office expected when they signed the veteran quarterback. Again, it is very early into Garoppolo's tenure with the Raiders, but Josh McDaniels faces a pivotal time in his time as head coach of the Raiders.

Three games in is too soon to judge what a player will or will not be on a team, but the Raiders' problems on offense run much deeper than just Garoppolo's play. So far, Garoppolo has completed 68 percent of his passes and has accounted for five touchdowns and six interceptions this season.

Although the Raiders are 1-2, they could easily be 2-1 with better quarterback play. While Aidan O'Connell is not better than Garoppolo, the Raiders have nothing to gain and everything to lose by playing Garoppolo on Sunday. Not only are concussions a severe injury, they can forever impact a player and a franchise that invested heavily in those players. 

Rarely are there any benefits to a team's starting quarterback suffering a concussion, but the Raiders find themselves in that situation for many reasons. Since it is only Week 4 of the season, the Raiders can afford a loss if it means protecting their starting quarterback and seeing how good O'Connell can be. 

They would have 13 more games to make up for a potential loss on Sunday, but jeopardizing Garoppolo's health for one win could be detrimental to the franchise's future. 

In Week 1, when wide receiver Jakobi Meyers suffered a concussion, the Raiders did right by the player and held him out for a week. While Garoppolo's and Meyer's situations were utterly different, Garopplo has just played his third game with the Raiders. 

The Raiders have to think long-term. 

Las Vegas rolling Garoppolo out in what is sure to be a heated divisional game and risking his health is simply not worth it. Starting O'Connell over Brian Hoyer allows the Raiders to see what they do or don't have behind Garoppolo going forward while protecting Garoppolo's health and McDaniels would get to do so, without having to bench his star quarterback. 

The Silver and Black return to the road next week in Inglewood, Calif., to play the Los Angeles Chargers (1-2) on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 4:05 p.m. EDT/1:05 p.m. PDT.

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