Aidan O'Connell looked like a potential franchise QB
When Jimmy Garoppolo was ruled out prior to the game against the Chicago Bears, the choice should have been easy for Josh McDaniels and his staff. Aidan O'Connell had played well against the Los Angeles Chargers in his start earlier in the season, and with a lowly Bears team on the horizon, it would have made for a much easier start for him on the road.
Instead, the Raiders went with Hoyer, which was a disaster of a decision that definitely played into McDaniels eventually being fired. O'Connell did come in late in the game, helping the Raiders to their only touchdown drive, but when Garoppolo returned the following week against Detroit, the job was given right back to him.
Well, Garoppolo could not have been worse in the game against Detroit, and the following night, his head coach was fired. One of the first moves Antonio Pierce made when taking over was naming O'Connell the starter for the rest of the 2023 season, and based on how he played on Sunday, he could be the starter for a lot longer than that.
O'Connell took care of the football, made some excellent adjustments at the line of scrimmage, and looked like a seasoned vet under center. His ability to throw the deep ball also opened up the run game for Josh Jacobs, and if this is the kind of effort the Raiders are going to get from him the rest of the way, he should be the long-term answer at the position in Las Vegas.