Hopeful Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell Moves Forward.

The Las Vegas Raiders were ready for the ups and downs of starting a rookie at the most critical position on the football field. However, they believed rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell would be up for the challenge. The Raiders won their first two games after O’Connell was named the starter, but they’ve since lost the last two. O’Connell, however, has played relatively well altogether and has gotten better in some way every week. He had the highest quarterback rating in the National Football League against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s much calmer, more poised on the sideline,” Pierce said. [He] doesn’t look rattled, doesn’t look kind of wide-eyed a little bit. I do think the game is slowing down. I don’t think it’s quite there yet for him. “That takes a while for all of us. But I do see a guy that’s progressing, as far as his mental capacity and what we’re able to do. Are we doing more with him? I don’t know. Are we doing less with him? I don’t know. I think we’re doing just enough to allow him to have a pretty good performance.”

Las Vegas Raiders rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell has the chance to show he’s starting quarterback material. © Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

“I think he has a good command of our offense, getting us in and out of the huddle. Those are all things that we can still improve on. So, I would say just the overall quarterback play, I think Jimmy [Garoppolo] and Brian Hoyer done an outstanding job with him as well from meetings to practice. You can see that now carrying over to the field on game day.” Las Vegas wanted to see what kind of player they had in O’Connell and gave him roughly the last half of the season to answer the question. So far, O’Connell has been labeled a game manager. The Raiders hope he sheds that title and takes the next step.

The Silver and Black will return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, December 10, at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST.