HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell should be able to start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars and “will be fine,” Raiders coach Antonio Pierce said Friday.
This came after O’Connell was dragged off the field Dec. 8 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with an air cast on his left leg and missed Monday night’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
He practiced hard this week.
“It felt great,” O’Connell said earlier this week. “Oh, it felt really good. It’s always fun to be outside with everyone again, and yeah, my body felt great too.”
O’Connell lost the training camp battle to free agent signee Gardner Minshew, but replaced the inactive Minshew in Week 6.
O’Connell fractured his right thumb in his second start and missed four games until being replaced again on November 24 by Minshew, who suffered a season-ending fractured collarbone.
O’Connell then suffered a knee injury in Tampa Bay and was replaced by Desmond Ridder against the Falcons.
“I’ve definitely been watching more games this year than I wanted to, from the sideline or wherever, so it’s definitely been frustrating not being on the field,” said O’Connell, who started four of the six games. said. He played this season. “In high school and college, I had to sit on the bench for a while and wait my turn, and I think I learned a lot. [That] It definitely taught me patience.
“But at the same time, I think you know what it’s like to have to work and not be able to go out and see your progress day by day. [I] You just have to trust the process. ”
O’Connell started 10 games for the Raiders as a rookie, completing 63.2 percent of his passes for 899 passing yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions.
“I think it’s dangerous if we just broadcast every single game live, so we’re definitely going to focus on making it a one-game season,” he said. “But I hope there’s a lot of football to play for the rest of my career.
“So, I’m just taking the opportunity as it comes. I think if you put too much pressure on yourself, you put yourself in a bad position. So I’m just trying to stay focused and get into this week and other things.” I’m going to focus.’ Then it comes, so I’ll think about that later. ”
The Raiders, who have lost 10 straight games, are tied with the New York Giants for worst in the league at 2 wins and 12 losses, while the Jaguars are 3 wins and 11 losses.
