The Las Vegas Raiders faced off against the Dallas Cowboys in a preseason game that left fans with more questions than answers, especially regarding the Raiders' quarterback situation. This game left more questions than the first one against the Minnesota Vikings did. Gardner Minshew, who started for the Raiders, showed flashes of brilliance but also moments of inconsistency. Aidan O'Connell also saw significant playing time.
Aidan O'Connell, following Minshew, attempted to make a case for himself as the starting quarterback. His play was solid, but like Minshew, he couldn't capitalize on all opportunities, particularly after a promising punt return by Tre Tucker. The Cowboys, with Trey Lance leading the charge in the absence of Dak Prescott, managed to outplay both Raiders QBs, throwing for a touchdown and rushing for another, showcasing his versatility and perhaps adding another layer to the quarterback conversation in Las Vegas.
The game was not just about the quarterback competition; it highlighted other areas of concern and promise for the Raiders. The defense, particularly the secondary, showed vulnerabilities that teams could exploit in the regular season. However, on the offensive side, wide receivers like Tre Tucker showed up big time.
Head coach Antonio Pierce, faced with the decision of naming a starting quarterback, found himself in a quandary, with neither Minshew nor O'Connell decisively pulling ahead. This game, while not decisive in the QB race, set the stage for what could be a pivotal final preseason game against the 49ers, where the Raiders will need to see more in terms of their depth at several positions. But for now, let's focus on some positives and negatives we saw in this game.
Raiders' risers and fallers vs. Dallas Cowboys
Riser - QB Gardner Minshew, QB
This one isn't because of how he played against the Cowboys, as we all know that most of his night was underwhelming. However, because he was named the starter on Sunday morning in a surprising move by Antonio Pierce , he is a riser today.
Minshew gives the Raiders the best chance to operate the Luke Getsy offense at a high level. With his legs and ability to escape, tied into his willingness to throw the ball deep, the Raiders went with Minshew. So, because he won the job no one really thought he would win, he is an obvious riser.
Faller - Aidan O'Connell, QB
In this series, a riser or faller can be a guy who played bad or well. Or it can be a player who rose up the depth chart and a player who fell down the depth chart. In this case, it's a player that just fell down the depth chart, because that's exactly what happened to O'Connell.
With O'Connell being the starter for 10 games last year, this was his job to lose -- he was supposed to win this job. So, he is listed as a loser/faller after Minshew won the job, which makes sense.
Riser - Harrison Bryant, TE
Of course, all the talk about tight ends has come on the side of Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer, and rightfully so. Those guys are the starters. But, there is one other guy who has shown a bit of skill and talent that the Raiders could use.
Bryant played a ton on Saturday against the Cowboys, and while he only had 15 receiving yards, he had some big-time catches, including a third-down conversion where he held the ball tight through traffic, and came down with it, and of course the touchdown reception.
Faller - Kristian Wilkerson, WR
This isn't really because of Wilkerson, but more so because of the guy he's been battling. Wilkerson and DJ Turner had been in a wide receiver battle for that fourth or fifth spot this whole offseason. And, for the most part, it was close, but Turner pulled away on Saturday night.
Wilkerson doesn't do much in terms of special teams, so Turner has him beat there. Now, Wilkerson finds himself at that last wide receiver spot, and after the third preseason game, he could be on the outside for all we know.
Related: Risers and fallers after the Las Vegas Raiders' first preseason game against the Minnesota Vikings
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