The Las Vegas Raiders looked very good in their preseason opener against Jacksonville, and here, we look at some areas of focus heading into game No. 2.
The Las Vegas Raiders took care of business against the Jacksonville Jaguars in their preseason opener, and now have their sights set on the Minnesota Vikings in preseason game No. 2. Here we look at some areas of focus heading into that matchup.
Las Vegas Raiders areas of focus heading into 2022 preseason game No. 2
Backup QB
Jarrett Stidham looks to have full control of the backup quarterback spot on the Raiders roster. Stidham looks very comfortable, which he should considering he was in new head coach Josh McDaniels’ offense for years and made plays.
Stidham effectively moved the ball down the field and was able to orchestrate multiple scoring drives. His competition, Nick Mullens, also looked pretty good as well despite the Stidham shine.
Mullens completed 8/11 passes for 72 yards compared to Stidham’s 8/15 for 96 yards. Stidham also took more sacks and had a lower rating than Mullens. The eye test says that Stidham looked better, but Mullens was often playing with less talented players.
If Stidham wins the job outright, keep an eye on the quarterback on the practice squad. While Mullens could theoretically return on the practice squad, as a veteran he may try to latch on elsewhere, Chase Garbers could sneak onto the practice squad. Garbers seeing the field is significant because it was a clear indication that McDaniels wanted to get a look at his rookie quarterback.