Raiders' Pierce Evaluates QB Battle So Far

The Las Vegas Raiders are getting closer by the day to having to decide their starting quarterback for Week 1.

Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

The Las Vegas Raiders are still determining who they're going to send out as their starting quarterback in Week 1.

Both Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II have had their good and bad days. But for each of them to want that starting job, it's come to that point in camp when you need to start stringing together more good than bad.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce still doesn't feel that decision has been made yet.

"I don't think we can sit there and say somebody has won yet," Pierce said at training camp on Monday. "I think they've both had good moments. I'll go back -- I think Gardner's had several days now where he's made some plays, but then, there's also some turnovers that show up that we don't want to have happen as well.

And again, when I look at Aidan, I see a guy that's throwing the ball accurate, I've seen some drops by our wide receivers, And I don't think it's just on the quarterbacks; I think, overall, our offensive play has to pick up, sense of urgency, wide receivers, O-line, just all those guys.

"Again, go back to the very beginning of my opening statement of training camp. They're going against a very good defense. And I think they're feeling that, I think it's good for our team -- the competition part -- but obviously, somebody, again, has to just step up. And we're getting closer and closer, and obviously, we're getting into game week mode a little bit as we get later in the week."

The Raiders will have an opportunity to showcase their quarterbacks this Saturday when they take on the Minnesota Vikings in their first preseason game.

"We still got two more true training camp practices," Pierce said. "Then, we got Wednesday, Thursday and then, that's when we'll start looking at what we want to do game-wise. But like I said, both quarterbacks want to play a legit quarter. Who goes out first and who goes out second really doesn't matter. Get hopefully an equal amount of snaps and opportunities to showcase."

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