O'Connell Showed Growth and Areas That Need Improvement in First Preseason Game

The Las Vegas Raiders offense looked efficient for most of its first preseason game. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell has improved since last season but still has more room to grow.

Aug 10, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) throws a pass against the Minnesota Vikings during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports / Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders are a week closer to figuring out who they will start at quarterback this upcoming season.

After months of predictions of who would win the competition and weeks of training camp that saw Raiders offensive coordinator Luke Getsy install a new offense against one of the best defenses in the National Football League, the Raiders finally had the chance to take the field against another team. They had yet to do so, as they decided against joint practices with other teams this offseason. 

Second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell finished last season as the team’s starting quarterback after leading them to a 5-4 record over the team’s final nine games. O’Connell’s rise to the starting quarterback position was unexpected last season. However, his need for improvement this offseason was not.

As a rookie who was unexpectedly thrown into the fire last season, O’Connell performed well, even finishing the Raiders’ home loss to the Kansas City Chiefs with the highest quarterback rating of any quarterback in the league that week. 

As this season’s training camp ended and the Raiders entered the first week of the preseason, they have yet to announce their starting quarterback. O’Connell only played the team’s first drive of the game against the Vikings, completing seven of his nine pass attempts for 76 yards. By making intelligent decisions, O’Connell led a drive nearly the football field's length.

This showed his growth from last season and that he successfully comprehends what Getsy wants to do. 

However, the Raiders played without one of the best offensive tackles in the league, Kolton Miller. On the last play of the drive, the Vikings turned up the pressure on O’Connell in the pocket. Instead of stepping up into the pocket and throwing the ball away or running, O’Connell took a sack, and the Raiders had to kick a field goal.

While O’Connell driving the team down the field into the red zone showed how far he has come this offseason, his lack of pocket awareness showed how far he still has to go. 

This is not unusual for a quarterback in his second season in the league with his third offensive coordinator. Still, if O’Connell wants to win the starting quarterback job, ill-advised sacks that lead to field goals instead of touchdowns could be the difference between him winning or losing the competition for the starting position.

Ensure you follow on X (Twitter) @HondoCarpenter and IG @HondoSr and never miss another breaking news story again.

Please let us know your thoughts when you like our Facebook page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.