Raiders' QB Gardner Minshew Bengals Week

Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew spoke today before traveling to Cincinnati to take on the Bengals this weekend.

Las Vegas Raiders QB Gardner Minshew / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

HENDERSON, Nev. — The Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) are trying to regroup after a terrible start to the 2024 season, preparing to head to Cincinnati this weekend to take on the Bengals (3-5).

This team desperately needs something good to happen. Multiple key players are out due to injury, and the team struggles to stay afloat as the weather is the storm.

OC Luke Getsy's scripting of the early plays has worked, and the Raiders have come out on fire. 

However, once the script ended, Silver and Black proved they were not improvisers, and the creative and effective attacks have stalled.

QB Gardner Minshew held his regular press conference today, and we have it all for you.

You can watch that press conference in its entirety below:

Below is a transcript of Gardner Minshew’s entire press conference today:

Q: When you watched the film from last week, did you see that you had growth offensively or some hope for the future?

Minshew: "Yeah, I think so, man. Had some guys getting open, catching the ball, making plays. Felt like we were doing a good job of, once we got into a drive, establishing drives and staying on the field. I thought we did some good things on third down. Now, it's kind of looking at those three-and-outs, the quick drives. How do we sustain? How do we just be more consistent there?"

Q: You had to switch to a different center that you haven't worked a lot with during the middle of the game. How does that work with Jackson Powers-Johnson and how did it go?

Minshew: "It was great, man. He stepped in, in a position that he hadn't done much for us this year, which can be uncomfortable, especially for a young guy. He stepped in and did a great job. We were getting a lot of work today on snaps, just getting more comfortable there, getting comfortable with him being the guy making the calls. But he's done a great job. He's a super smart guy and locked in, so I feel really good about him."

Q: There's always this great debate of was it the play call or was it the execution? Specifically with the first-and-goals inside the Rams five-yard line, and then last week against the Chiefs in the goal line situation; what are you seeing in terms of where the breakdowns are?

Minshew: "Yeah, I think most plays you have a chance if you do it right. Guys can make it right on most plays. And I think there were opportunities there to do it, and we didn't do it. So, at the end of the day, we got to look at ourselves. Everybody's got to see, 'How can I do my job better?' And I think we are doing that. I feel good about how we're approaching this week, the attitude of the guys, attitude of the coaches, I think everybody's coming in and putting their work hat on and ready to get back after it."

Q: What have you seen from the Bengals defense who are known for putting some pressure on quarterbacks?

Minshew: "Yeah, they pressure a good bit, man. They do a good job of it. A couple of their DBs are good. [Trey] Hendrickson is great off the edge. So, you got to be aware, got to have a plan for how they attack you like that."

Q: You have a couple of rookies starting on the offensive line. What are your impressions of those guys so far and the growth they've shown?

Minshew: "They've done a great job, man. We throw a lot at them. It's not easy what we're doing in the run game and in the pass game, but they're handling it really well. Stepped in and played [against] some really good players over this stretch of games and done well. Maintained confidence, a little bit of swagger. That's why I feel really good about them moving forward as they have that confidence and that belief. And I think the line is still getting tighter, man. I think we've had a lot of different combinations and guys in there, and the communication is really starting to get tighter."

Q: You had a really successful second half against Baltimore. Did you feel that from start to finish this last week against Kansas City was your best game or most consistent game?

Minshew: "I don't know, man. It's hard to say. Felt good. Felt like I was giving us a chance on most plays, putting the ball in play, letting our guys go to work. I think that’s a good thing for us. And just managing and keeping us in – if we're throwing it on second-and-long, keeping us in good third downs. I think was big for us."

Q: Last week against the Chiefs, Antonio Pierce said something they started doing in the second half was blitzing a lot more often. As a quarterback, is there something you kind of have to pick up more on pre snap? Are there certain tells, or was it something where they were disguising until after the snap?

Minshew: "Yeah, they did a good job disguising, man. That's kind of their MO, and a lot of times you just got to play hot and just understand that they're going to get there and understand where your quick answers are. I thought we did a good job of that sometimes, sometimes we didn't. So, again, the challenge is consistency there."

Q: You guys can't run the ball and you're averaging less than two yards per carry. How much more pressure do you feel in terms of having to make a play and extend a play?

Minshew: "I don't know, man. I think, as you do that, some of those quick completions kind of helps supplement that run game on first and second down. And I mean, at the end of the day, it's like, 'How do you move the chains? How do you get yourself in good third downs?' So, whatever that looks like, whether we run it and we get to a second-and-nine, then we got to throw it to make it up, or vice versa. Like you got to make it up one way or another and just put ourselves in good positions."

Q: When you're saying throwing a lot at the offensive line, in what way? Is that the communication on the blitzes, or what exactly are we talking about?

Minshew: "Yeah, a little bit. I think we do some different things in protection, where those guys have to be tied in. And, I mean, I think that's every offense. The nature of the offensive line play, it's all communication. Those guys really have to understand how the right side makes their point affects all the way how the left tackle is setting there. So, just them being tied in is huge, man. And I think that's something we've gotten consistently better at."

Q: How great was it to have Jakobi Meyers back out there in your offense?

Minshew: "It's huge, man. Love having Kobe [Jakobi Meyers]. He's obviously a great player, but his energy out there really helps us, man. He's an electric guy. He talks his noise. It really helps and brings a lot of swagger to our team, man. So, really happy to have him back."

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