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Paul Gutierrez, ESPN Staff Writer
HENDERSON, Nev. — Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce acknowledged he was still “evaluating” the quarterback position a day after benching Gardner Minshew in favor of Aidan O’Connell late in the third quarter of his team’s 34-18 loss at the Denver Broncos.
He also said the Davante Adams situation remained “status quo.” Asked when he thought things went sideways with the three-time All-Pro receiver, who has requested a trade, Pierce was sullen.
“I don’t know,” he said. “I think you’ve got to ask Davante that.”
Adams has been gone from the Raiders for more than a week, purportedly rehabbing a hamstring injury while trade talks have swirled.
And the guys who have thrown passes to Adams this season — Minshew and O’Connell — remained in a holding pattern in terms of who will start Sunday at home against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Minshew, who signed a two-year free agent contract with the Raiders with $15 million guaranteed, won a close training camp battle but has been inconsistent in five starts, completing 70.7% of his passes for 1,014 yards and four touchdowns, but with five interceptions.
His 100-yard pick-six in the second quarter to Broncos cornerback Patrick Surtain II broke the momentum for the Raiders, who were poised to go up 17-3. Instead, Las Vegas trailed 13-10 at the half and eventually fell by two scores.
“That was very deflating,” Pierce said of the pick-six. “I think everybody understood and saw that. But he went back out there, and I thought there were some opportunities for us to make plays and at that point we just didn’t. Offensively, we kind of hit the mud.
“It’s all about the football. You’ve got to protect the football. The easiest way to lose the game is turnovers.”
Minshew, who completed his first nine passes with a 57-yard touchdown to rookie tight end Brock Bowers in Denver but finished 12-of-17, later threw another interception and O’Connell was picked off as well.
“I thought we got off to a good start and then I killed our momentum with the pick-six,” Minshew said after the game. “I didn’t do a good enough job giving us a shot to be competitive in the game. That’s on me.”
O’Connell, meanwhile, was 10-of-20 for 94 yards.
“We have a group of guys that want to look in the mirror, want to hold each other accountable, hold themselves accountable and try to get better,” O’Connell said. “And that’s what we’re going to do.”
Pierce moving to O’Connell would not be a first, as he installed the then-rookie last season upon being elevated to interim coach Nov. 1. O’Connell finished the season with a flourish: eight touchdowns and no interceptions in the team’s final four games.
“We know what we’re going to get with Aidan, right?” Pierce said. “That back foot hits the ground, ball comes out, he’s a cerebral player, knows where the ball needs to go.
“I’ve seen enough of Aidan last year, the spring, to know what to expect from Aidan.”