Sunday’s Steelers recreation ought to see Justin Fields squaring off towards Gardner Minshew for the Raiders, if establishment holds. Each have began all season for his or her respective groups, although in Fields’ case, he hasn’t topped the depth chart. For Minshew, the Raiders have benched him twice prior to now three video games and he’s now competing for his job.
He’s the skilled participant of the 2, nevertheless, by comparability, and the Steelers are accustomed to him. He stood in the way in which of Joshua Dobbs beginning for the Jaguars again in 2019, in case you recall, as a rookie. They’ve performed Minshew as lately as final 12 months, the truth is, because the Colts’ starter. And they might have performed him two weeks in the past as a substitute of Joe Flacco if he have been nonetheless there. In the event that they see him within the Raiders’ Black and Silver on Sunday, although, Mike Tomlin can be prepared.
“I do know they’ve been rotating quarterbacks some over the primary 5 weeks, however I received a variety of respect for
[Gardner] Minshew”, Tomlin mentioned throughout his press convention yesterday, by way of the Steelers’ web site. “I’ve been in-stadium with him. I’ve simply all the time appreciated his moxie and in-game savvy, his skill to increase, his skill to make the most of his legs in an effort to make issues occur. Simply this previous Sunday, the primary two third downs of the sport he transformed along with his legs on two 11-yard runs for instance of that”.
Minshew signed a two-year, $25 million contract with the Raiders this offseason, together with $15 million assured. On the 12 months, he’s 99-for-140 for 1,014 yards with 4 touchdowns to 5 interceptions. Las Vegas is out to a 2-3 begin, and is averaging underneath 20 factors per recreation.
On Sunday, Minshew went 12-for-17 for 137 yards, throwing one landing however two interceptions earlier than the Raiders benched him. He additionally had two rushed for 22 yards, as Tomlin alluded two, changing third downs along with his legs. Aidan O’Connell completed the sport and received, going 10-for-20 for 94 yards and an interception.
Two weeks prior, Minshew went 18-for-28 for 214 yards with a landing and an interception earlier than the Raiders benched him. O’Connell completed out the sport, going 9-for-12 for 82 yards and a landing. However the actuality is when your staff benches you twice in three weeks, you’re in hassle.
Gardner Minshew’s present numbers are literally atypical. He has a 3.6 interception share proper now, however simply 1.9 for his profession. Conversely, he has a profession 4.0 landing share however is at simply 2.9 to date thus 12 months. Alternatively, he’s posting career-high accuracy numbers, although that’s at the moment widespread across the league.
As for Minshew’s challenger, Aidan O’Connell, he’s a second-year former fourth-round decide. He began 10 video games for the Raiders final season, going 5-5, so that they do have appreciable familiarity with him. That season, he went 213-for-343 for two,218 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. As of now, he has too small a pattern dimension to touch upon this 12 months, however we’ll see how Sunday adjustments that.
