Raiders' ultimate QB decision might have already been made months ago

The Raiders' QB situation is a mess. And granted, it's been that way all year, but it's especially messy right now. After Gardner Minshew got benched for the second time in five weeks during last Sunday's blowout loss to the Broncos, Antonio Pierce refused to commit to either starter during his postgame press conference.

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Then, earlier this week, Pierce announced that the Raiders would once again be having a quarterback competition during practice this week to determine who'd start against the Steelers this weekend. Barely five weeks after the team named Minshew the starter, they're back where they were in late July. It's less surprising than it is underwhelming, especially as new details being to emerge about the coaching staff's decision-making. In one of Albert Breer's mailbags this week, he gives an ... insightful? ... answer about how bad things are in the Raiders' QB room.

It sounds like Aidan O'Connell technically won the Raiders' preseason QB competition

"The Raiders are mulling what to do at quarterback, and it’s at least notable that there were coaches there who believed in August that Aidan O’Connell had passed Gardner Minshew II at the position. Ultimately, Antonio Pierce chose to go with the experienced hand. But Vegas, clearly, sees O’Connell as very capable."

This mirrors other reporting over the last couple weeks that hints at the idea that O'Connell more-or-less won the QB competition. Minshew always had a bit of an advantage – which is just how it goes when a team gives you $20 million in the offseason – and coaches liked his ability to move around the pocket. And assuming this will be one of a half-dozen or more in-game or mid-week QB switches the Raiders try between now and the end of the season, it's probably better for the collective sanity of all Raiders fans to get on board. It's like a fun game!