The Las Vegas Raiders are holding out hope that Aidan O'Connell will be able to overcome his knee injury and play on Monday Night Football against the Atlatna Falcons, but he wasn't at practice on Thursday, which could mean that he needs more time to recover.
If that happens, then Desmond Ridder will be in line to start. This would be a big deal for him as he was the starting quarterback for the Falcons at times last season and they were the team that drafted him. He still knows most of their players and spoke about how much he learned during his time in Atlanta.
"I would say, I mean, a good list of things," Ridder said of what he learned with the Falcons during his Wednesday press conference. "Obviously, ball security, taking care of the ball, the ball is the issue. Never trying to do too much, trying to force plays down the field, or whatever it may be, but just taking care of the ball, make sure that we keep the ball in our possession, and we're doing smart things with the ball."
Ridder has already fumbled three times with the Raiders in limited action so he still has some work to do when it comes to ball security. He has yet to start a game for Las Vegas and making his first start against his former team would bring some pressure.
He's making sure that he stays ready no matter what happens.
“As a backup you ‘ve got to prepare as if you’re the starter," Ridder said. "You have to prepare as if — it could be any play, it could be the first play, it could be the second. So, for me my mindset doesn’t change. Come in the same way Monday through Sunday and work the same way I do.”