The Las Vegas Raiders have a quarterback battle brewing at training camp between Aidan O’Connell and rookie Cam Miller for the backup job. Both quarterbacks played extensively in Thursday’s preseason Week 1 23-23 tie with the Seattle Seahawks. There’s little doubt that Miller outperformed O’Connell.
O’Connell replaced starter Geno Smith after one series. He finished 18-of-30 for 205 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. O’Connell’s first interception was a poorly underthrown ball. Rookie receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. had a step on cornerback Josh Jobe, but Jobe was in position to create the takeaway on a ball that didn’t have enough air under it.
Miller eventually replaced O’Connell and was significantly more impactful. The rookie out of North Dakota State finished 6-of-7 for 76 yards and one touchdown. Miller’s 41-yard touchdown toss to Shedrick Jackson was a thing of beauty, with him freezing the defense with a gorgeous pump-fake before uncorking a bomb.
Miller’s final drive was especially impressive. He led a five-play, 31-yard drive in 20 seconds that positioned the Raiders for a go-ahead field goal. Daniel Carlson’s 55-yard attempt was ultimately blocked, but the quarterback did his part to lead a potential game-winning drive.
The Raiders’ new decision makers inherited O’Connell from the previous regime. GM John Spytek and head coach Pete Carroll drafted Miller in the sixth round. There’s a decent chance Miller wins the backup quarterback job and O’Connell is traded before the regular season begins.
