WATCH: Raiders QB Ridder Sounds Off Ahead of Falcons Matchup

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder was once an Atlanta Falcon. He spoke from the locker room about the upcoming clash.

Dec 8, 2024; Tampa, Florida, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder (10) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images / Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Raiders secured quarterback Desmond Ridder earlier this season due when quarterback injuries began to pile up.

Now the Silver and Black are set to face Ridder's former team, the Atlanta Falcons, on Monday night. The former Falcons quarterback spoke about it from the locker room and we have the entire video right here:

Below is a partial transcript from head coach Antonio Pierce's Wednesday media availability:

Q: What's the latest at quarterback as far as Aidan O'Connell?

Coach Pierce: "Good. Aidan [O'Connell] walked into the building. He was in the weight room, the training room and was at walkthrough right now. When we have our walkthrough later, he'll be out there."

Q: So is Aidan O'Connell planning to start this week?

Coach Pierce: "We'll see how the week goes."

Q: Any extra excitement on game week when it's a Monday night game?

Coach Pierce: "I would hope so for our team, opportunity on prime time to keep showing improvement and getting better and playing with pride, and obviously trying to get a win." Q: How does it feel to be back at home this week?

Coach Pierce: "Feels real good. It feels like we've been on the road this whole season. It's been one of those years, but our fan base has been good, even on the road for us, traveling really well. But it's good when we play at home and it's on Monday Night Football, you know they'll show up and be loud, and Raider Nation, that Black Hole will get rocking and rolling, and we got to do a good job of keeping them in the game."

 Q: You guys signed Carter Bradley to the active roster. What have you seen out of him that got him that promotion? And what does that mean for your quarterback room?

Coach Pierce: "Well, I just think dealing with the injuries, might as well have three quarterbacks up the way the season has been going. But Carter [Bradley] has done a really good job, kind of like Sincere [McCormick], giving us this really good look on the practice squad and the look team, being competitive, really getting after us. And I think as the season has grown, again it's in practice, but you have seen improvement. I think the moxie's come out of him, he's kind of got out of his shell. I think it's a great opportunity, you never know what's going to happen in the game, and he has to be ready to play because it's been that kind of season for us."

Q: It would be pretty evident that Carter Bradley would be pretty good at reading defenses and understanding what defenses are trying to do based on his dad. What have you seen out of his brain for football?

Coach Pierce: "Well, he's a football kid. You can tell he's been around football his whole life. Reading defenses and all that stuff, I think it's different regardless of where you've been, going from college to the pros, it is still a learning curve and I think he has improved. That learning curve has sped up though because he's been around ball. It's a lot of the same terminology and communication that he's heard throughout his career and obviously his childhood and now being at this level, but he's done a good job, even as a player on practice squad, of really being dialed into the playbook, the designs and what we're doing each and every week. So, I don't really have any concerns with him.”  

Q: What have you seen from the rookies and how they're holding up at this point in the season?

Coach Pierce: "Good. They're playing. I mean, we're playing all of them, they're all playing. Some playing really well, obviously the Brocks [Bowers], the Jacksons [Powers-Johnson] of the world and Decam [Decamerion Richardson] is getting there. But Trey Taylor, Dylan [Laube], I think all these guys are trying to find their role. It's really good to see them. We talked about this again several times, I keep bringing it up, later in the season you want to see your young guys playing because that leads into a great off season for them. So, we'll keep pushing that narrative and hopefully they get better and make more plays and more confidence for them.

Q: Do you see Trey Taylor getting a look pretty soon?

Coach Pierce: "A look on defense? Probably not, not the way the safeties are playing. The safeties are playing well."

Q: How close is Alexander Mattison to being ready? And I guess what does his return when it does happen mean for Sincere McCormick?

Coach Pierce: "Well, he's good. I mean, he's close. I mean, just the numbers game being inactive, but I would assume this week he'll probably be active."

Q: What is the balance in game when it comes to analytics and just the gut feeling in in-game situations?

Coach Pierce: "Probably me it's more gut, but analytics plays into it to a degree, but all the information is given to me throughout the week and each game, each situation is different. So, my whole life and how I've coached and played has been off of gut."

Q: Does Sincere McCormick keep the job if Alex Mattison comes back?

 Coach Pierce: "Yeah, he deserves it. The last three games, he's running his tail off. So, keep running, keep pushing those numbers up, see if we can get him to 100."

Q: We know the downside of playing a lot of young players. But is there any possible competitive advantages of playing young players in the sense that there's not a lot of film necessarily on those players?

Coach Pierce: "Well, I don't worry about the film. I think now you've got fresh, eager, hungry players that's going out there. Great opportunity for them to move forward and make a stamp for themselves. So, I've never been fearful of playing younger guys. I think for us, that's kind of what's happened the last two years, and what you see is growth. And as we continue to do that and we keep building our team, I think a lot of teams, coaches especially, are judged off the development of young players, and I will say that's happened here."

Q: What have you thought of Michael Mayer in the last few weeks since coming back?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah listen, all the attention goes to Brock [Bowers] and well deserving, but I mean, Big Mike is a really, really, really good tight end. And when the opportunities come like they did last week, when they try to take away Brock early and we throw it to the open receiver, Mike's giving up his body; you see him jumping, diving, doing all this stuff. Man, I think just getting him going, keep getting that confidence back since he's come back, getting him the ball, feeding him. But he's a tremendous talent. He's always been one of my favorite players here when we drafted him, and just the more we can get him going, the better we'll be. I like 12-personnel, that's a really good grouping for us. So, the better we can get those two players playing, Mike and Brock, I think the more dangerous we are."

Q: What has Adam Butler brought to this team this year, especially with the loss of Christian Wilkins?

Coach Pierce: "Energy, love for the game, passion, maturity, leadership, vocal player; a lot of stuff that we do with the games and rush coordinations, he's a big part of it. And I'm not going to lie, for now the last two years, he's been very productive rushing the passer, playing the run game, things that people probably knocked him for before he got here, he's really improved in those areas."

Q: You've talked about Sincere McCormick and even Jonah Laulu recently, but what are some other players you feel on the team that have really stepped up when their number's been called and you see them having productive futures, not even just for the end of this season, but just moving forward on your team?

Coach Pierce: "I'll go back to it. It's good we don't talk about him, DJ Glaze. I mean, he's been the most consistent rookie that I think we've had other than Brock [Bowers]. The other player that you see, and you only see a little bit of him, hopefully getting him some more reps is Amari Burney. I think he's done a good job as well. Tre Tucker for the limited touches, but there's been some great opportunities there for him. And then Jackson Powers-Johnson. I would say those are the guys that stand out. Isaiah Pola-Mao is another one who's taking advantage of a player going down in Marcus Epps and has really stepped in and kind of put himself in position to be a starter going forward."

Q: Can you go back to Adam Butler just talking about how in the past couple of games, he's kind of had a little bit more speed to him, a little bit more pressure. What do you think that has to do with him just getting himself more involved?

Coach Pierce: "Well, I think it's just a credit to not just him but to our team just the way they're playing. They're competing at a high level. I think there's an opportunity for him. Let's be honest, he's a free agent. So, nobody watches September film. You watch those last 5 to 6 games at the end of the season. Obviously, we're not in the playoffs, so he's making the most of his opportunities. Again, Christian Wilkins was our starting three technique, Adam Butler was a rotational guy, now he's a starter and he's making the most of his opportunities. But he's always done that. Like he's always been that guy. He's an undrafted guy that just kind of grinds and grits and finds his way. And more importantly, what I love about him is he's a team player. Like he really keeps that group settled, calmed down, kind of like an older big brother. But he's really been - I can't speak highly enough for what he's been able to do for us, the production. I wish it could obviously equal up to more wins, but from an individual standpoint very well."

Q: Has Jakobi Myers been that same guy but at the wide receiver position?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, very good. I mean again, when you lose a guy like Davante Adams, that's tough, but then here's a great opportunity for Jakobi to prove that I could be a number one wide receiver, and I think he's made the most of his opportunities. Hopefully we can get him to 1,000 yards with some wins here as well, double up on that one and I think just showcasing everything that this player does because he does so much dirty work that we don't ever talk about the receiver and what he's able to do as a route runner. I mean hell, he can throw the ball - we do a lot of stuff with Jakobi. So, Jakobi is one of my guys - he's like an AP guy, right? If I could say who's an AP guy, it's Jakobi. He's got that grit and that toughness to him."

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