HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O’Connell might not be Mr. Right for the Raiders, but he is Mr. Right Now.
He did enough in Friday’s 19-17 loss at Kansas City to show that Las Vegas’ quarterback job will be his for the rest of the season — barring, that is, another injury.
O’Connell didn’t look like a quarterback who hadn’t played in nearly six weeks because of a broken thumb. Plus, the Raiders had a short week to prepare for the Chiefs, meaning O’Connell only went through a series of walk-through practices.
Even so, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 340 yards, including touchdown passes of 33 yards to tight end Brock Bowers and 58 yards to wide receiver Tre Tucker. He didn’t throw any interceptions.
“Thought he competed,” coach Antonio Pierce said Saturday morning. “I thought for what we knew we were getting with Spags (Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field, he threw them. And I thought our skill guys did a hell of a job competing and making some really good plays for us.”
O’Connell’s performance would’ve shined even more if not for the Raiders’ final offensive play.
He led the Raiders from their 8-yard line to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. The plan was for O’Connell to take the snap and throw the ball away to run off a few more seconds, then send Daniel Carlson out for the potential winning field goal without giving Patrick Mahomes enough time to mount one of his signature comebacks.
But rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball before O’Connell was expecting it, and the Chiefs recovered to secure another close, last-minute victory.
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The Raiders were called for illegal shift, which Kansas City declined. But there was some question about whether officials intended to call a false start instead. Though that infraction would have cost Las Vegas 5 yards, the pre-snap penalty still would’ve given Carlson a shot at the field goal.
Pierce said his team heard an official’s whistle before the snap, and that will be included in the Raiders’ report to the NFL.
“We do that every game,” Pierce said. “Typically, anywhere from three to five questions, and then we’ll get a letter within 24 to 36 hours, and we’ll read it and learn from it.”
What’s working
Bowers had another sensational game. He was targeted 14 times, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. For the season, he has 84 receptions for 884 yards and four TDs, making him a strong contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“We’re seeing double-teams and them really shifting their zone to him, and I don’t really think it matters,” Pierce said. “I think we’ve got a really special player on our hand.”
What needs help
The Raiders need to do better on first and second downs to set up more favorable third-down conversions. They have faced 47 third downs from 7 to 10 yards, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for fifth most. Las Vegas’ conversion rate on those plays is 36.2%, which actually is favorable compared to the rest of the league, but the Raiders are still creating too many of those situations.
Stock up
Las Vegas made life difficult for Mahomes, sacking him five times. And it wasn’t just Maxx Crosby bringing the heat. Four players had at least one-half sack, including K’Lavon Chaisson, who had 1 1/2. It was a season-high total for the Raiders, and they have taken down the opposing quarterback in 30 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak.
Stock down
Carlson is usually money, but he missed field goals from 56, 55 and 58 yards. Hardly chip shots, but he is capable of converting from those distances. He had made 30 of 38 field goals from 50-plus yards entering the game, with a career long of 57 yards.
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Injuries
WR DJ Turner injured his knee in the second half.
Key number
12 — The Raiders are one of three teams to fall behind double digits in each of their first 12 games of a season. The others were the 1986 Indianapolis Colts and 1972 New England Patriots.