The quarterback woes in Las Vegas just reached a new peak, or should we say, cratered to a new low, with the Raiders confirming Gardner Minshew's season-ending injury. Yes, according to reports, Minshew has broken his collarbone, a hefty blow coming off the team's loss to the Denver Broncos. Antonio Pierce, the team's coach, delivered the grim news on Monday stating that Minshew won't be returning to the field this season, as per AP News.
Now, what's a team to do other than to look at the bullpen, and the Raiders are peering into a rather turbulent one, because while there's a slim chance that their injured reserve QB Aidan O’Connell with his own broken thumb might make it back in time for their next game against the Kansas City Chiefs, there's certainly no guarantee there. Desmond Ridder, who stepped in after Minshew’s injury this Sunday only to fumble and fail to clinch any last-second heroics, seems to be their man for the immediate future, although further details remain, as everything with the Raiders these days, murky, AP News painted the picture.
But let's roll back the tape to the incident that sealed the deal – Minshew's injury occurred in the thick of a seemingly cursed fourth quarter for the Raiders against the Broncos, when he was sacked, leading to his unfortunate landing and the subsequent injury. "Left shoulder there, we will know more, but it doesn't look good," Pierce described the situation to reporters in a moment of honesty not often seen in the aftermath of injuries. This statement captures the bleakness of the moment and was reported by NFL.com.
It's a tough break for Minshew who, if we rewind to earlier this season, had lost his starter status to O'Connell after a shaky beginning, only to snag it right back when O’Connell met with the thumb injury and talk about a rollercoaster, he's now sidelined himself, which sort of sums up the Raiders' season so far. If Ridder is indeed set for the starting role, he’s got a steep hill to climb, and with O'Connell's thumb still on the mend and the clock ticking for the Friday face-off against the Chiefs, it’s safe to say the Raider’s bench is heating up in a way nobody envies, NFL.com noted the fraught situation.
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