New quarterback. Same Las Vegas Raiders.
The first week of the new Aidan O’Connell started on Sunday, a week after Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce benched starting quarterback Gardner Minshew. The result for the Raiders was familiar frustration as the Pittsburgh Steelers rolled to a 32-13 blowout in Las Vegas.
The Raiders made myriad mistakes throughout the game including an interception, a goal-line fumble, a blocked punt and a roughing-the-passer penalty that negated an interception and extended a Steelers touchdown drive.
The loss sinks the Raiders to 2-4 in a season that’s already embroiled in turmoil.
O’Connell, who started 10 games as a rookie in 2023, made his first start at quarterback on Sunday in an effort to spark a turnaround. Gardner Minshew won the job in the preseason and supplanted O’Connell for the first five games of 2024.
Pierce benched Minshew last Sunday after his second interception in a 34-18 loss to the Denver Broncos. On Wednesday, he named O’Connell as the starting quarterback.
Sunday got off to a fine start for the Raiders as O’Connell led them to a touchdown on their opening drive for a 7-3 lead. But from there, a spiral of mistakes ensured that Pittsburgh would run away with the game.
With Las Vegas leading, 7-6 in the second quarter, Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt punched the ball out and forced a fumble by rookie running back Dylan Laube.
The fumble took place on Laube’s first career carry. The Steelers recovered and converted the turnover into a go-ahead touchdown for a 12-7 lead before halftime.
The Raiders nearly came up with a turnover of their own on the ensuing Steelers possession. But a roughing-the-passer penalty on defensive tackle Matthew Butler negated an interception thrown by Justin Fields. Six plays later, the Steelers scored the touchdown to go into halftime with the lead.
The Raiders’ first possession ended with more disaster. This time, Steelers linebacker Jeremiah Moon blocked AJ Cole’s punt to take over possession for Pittsburgh inside the Las Vegas 10-yard line.
The Steelers converted the prime field position into field goal for a 15-7 lead, then scored a touchdown on their next possession to extend the lead to 22-7.
The Raiders faced a chance in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to one possession with third-and-goal from the 1-yard line. But Watt came up big again, this time forcing a fumble by Ameer Abdullah at the goal line.
The Steelers recovered, snuffing out hope of a fourth-quarter Raiders rally.
The Raiders doubled down on their next possession with an thrown interception by O’Connell that Donte Jackson returned to the Las Vegas 7-yard line.
The Raiders converted that turnover into a touchdown to extend their lead to 29-7 with 7:16 remaining.
When the game was done, the Raiders had committed three turnovers and forced none. They treated fans to a second double-digit loss in three home games.
As for the quarterback change, O’Connell completed 27 of 40 passes for 227 yards with one touchdown and one interception. The loss certainly can’t be pinned on him. But the change at quarterback didn’t do the Raiders any good.
