Raiders' quarterback controversy in full swing after latest Antonio Pierce comments

I'll be honest: I thought they'd make it a little longer.

We're not even out of September yet, and the Raiders' QB controversy has already begun. Gardner Minshew hasn't been particularly impressive through his first three games as Vegas' QB1 this season, throwing for 747 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions through the team's first three games. And while it hasn't been great, Antonio Pierce's decision to pull him in favor of Aidan O'Connell for the last five or six minutes of Week 3's loss to the Panthers raised some eyebrows across the league.

RELATED: Antonio Pierce blasts Raiders' for 'business decisions' after Week 3 blowout loss

Whispers of a QB controversy grew louder when Pierce, after the game, tiptoed around giving a straight answer on who would be next week's QB in his postgame presser. Now, 24 hours later, it looks like the Raiders have already arrived at the point everyone expected – just way earlier than anyone expected it. When asked during his Monday presser about next week's starter, Pierce dodged the question again. It's happening.

Antonio Pierce refuses to name the Raiders' starting QB for Week 4 yet

"I think we have got to get with the players and evaluate everything from yesterday first," he said. "You look at how the game went, down by two scores or so, let Aidan come in and see what he can do with the offense, move it. We're just trying to look for a spark."

I get that you don't want to tip your hand – especially this early in the week – but if you can't answer which QB is going to start for you in six days, you're already playing from behind. Maybe Minshew lights it up in practice again this week and they decide that pulling the plug in the first month is just a disaster waiting to happen, but it's hard to read Pierce's answer as anything but a politely-worded hint that Minshew's getting benched. Otherwise, why would they need to 'get with the players first?'

This was always how it was destined to go, but that doesn't make the Raiders' QB situation any less bleak. Turns out giving Minshew two years and $20 million may have been a slight miscalculation on Pierce and Tom Telesco's part. At least Shedeur Sanders looks like the real deal.