Raiders' Thursday Night Practice Featured 'Terrific' Quarterback Play

The Las Vegas Raiders took Thursday's practice indoors, and quarterbacks Aidan O'Connell and Gardner Minshew II continued to excel.

Oct 15, 2023; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Robert Spillane (41) warms up against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports / Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

The Las Vegas Raiders had another great night of practice on Thursday. The team was back at its training facility in Henderson, Nevada and, this time, took practice to the indoor field due to the hot weather.

But that did not stop the Raiders from having another solid evening of training camp.

The Raiders are getting ready for their second preseason game on Saturday at Allegiant Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. This is the game that will be crucial in determining roster spots and depth chart positions have been going on all of training camp. The big one to watch is the quarterback battle, as a starter is likely to be named after the game.

Our Hondo S. Carpenter Sr. and Ezekiel Trezevant discussed Thursday's practice on a recent episode of the "Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast."

"A couple of things should out to me," Carpenter said. " ... Gardner [Minshew] started with the 1s; he came out throwing bombs. I mean, he looked terrific. Aidan [O'Connell] come out looking terrific."

"Tonight's practice here in Henderson, Gardner -- I do not want to say he put on a show -- but he played a lot better, practiced a lot better. His passes were on the money. ... A lot of those passes were not nearly in harm's way, as they have typically been all offseason. Gardner looked better tonight than he did at Allegiant. It was a lot closer of a competition. ... But then we circle around back to Aidan and I mean, it is undeniable right the passes he is out there making. He [O'Connell] is not really making any real mistakes. ... He is not turning the ball over in practice. The passes he is making are right on the money. ... When he throws the rock, there is no guessing this time."

Thursday's practice provided some fireworks.

"The first major fight we had in camp," Carpenter said. "There was a little skirmish but not a fight. The rookie who is making a push to make this team, the UDFA center Will Putnam, got a little bit of Richie Incognito in him. So, he starts going at it with Robert Spillane. And Maxx Crosby is like no, you do not go after one of my guys. Maxx jumps in, which probably was not the best, considering he had hand surgery. He starts throwing haymakers, rips off Putnam's helmet. I thought it was a lot of fun. It was not anything that hurt the team. ... I just thought it was fun."

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