HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell, who injured his left knee in Sunday's loss at Tampa Bay, went through a walkthrough practice Wednesday and hopes to play against Atlanta.
Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce wasn't ready, however, to declare that O'Connell would start Monday night's home game against the Falcons.
“We'll see how the week goes,” Pierce said.
O'Connell also took a cautious approach, even as he didn't show any outward signs of being hobbled when he walked in the indoor facility and locker room.
“I can obviously walk and move around and just obviously doing some stuff in the water, but trying to get on the field and move around today, which I did,” O'Connell said. "So just trying to progress and trusting the training staff to get me where I want to be.”
If O'Connell doesn't play, Desmond Ridder will start against his former team. Ridder started 13 games for the Falcons last season before he was traded to Arizona. The Raiders signed him off the Cardinals practice squad Oct. 21.
"Whether it’s against the Falcons — it doesn’t matter who it’s against — any opportunity that I get to go out there and showcase my talents, it’s an exciting time,” Ridder said.
He has had a handful of such opportunities this season.
Ridder has appeared as a backup in four games and has completed 28 of 44 passes for 239 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.
Now he hopes to get his first start of the season.
“It’s not like I’ve been sitting for a couple years,” Ridder said. "To be able to go out there in the previous week and have experience, it’s been huge.”
O'Connell's efforts to play have been meet with multiple setbacks this season, including in the preseason.
He first was beaten out by Gardner Minshew for the starting spot. Then when Pierce made a quarterback change after five games, O'Connell broke his thumb a week later against the Los Angeles Rams and missed nearly six weeks.
Then two games after returning to the lineup, he was shoved to the turf by Buccaneers defensive lineman Calijah Kancey.
“I think you have to be tough in the NFL. I don’t think I’m unique in that way,” O'Connell said. "We’ve got a lot of tough guys. I think it’s funny the quarterback gets hurt and everyone’s talking about it, but we have offensive linemen, defensive linemen, guys that are dealing with things every day and people never talk about it.”
The fact that O'Connell might suit up appeared highly unlikely when he was injured against the Bucs. He was carted off the field with an air cast on his left knee.
But then an MRI revealed a bruised bone, and O'Connell finally received some positive injury news.
“It definitely hurt on the field and my knee wasn’t responding how the doctors hoped it would," O'Connell said. "So, yeah, you definitely fear the worst going through that. But then got some imaging done and it seemed like it was definitely best-case scenario.”
To be sure there would be enough healthy quarterbacks on Monday, Las Vegas activated quarterback Carter Bradley from the practice squad Tuesday. His dad, Gus, is the Indianapolis Colts defensive coordinator.
“Dealing with injuries, might as well have three quarterbacks up the way the season's been going,” Pierce said. “Carter's done a really good job giving us a look on the practice squad. I think as the season's gone on, it's practice, but you have seen improvement.”
Pierce also said he expected running back Alexander Mattison, who hasn't played the past three games because of an ankle injury, to be activated this week. But Sincere McCormick, who rushed for 175 yards and averaged 5.5 yards per carry while Mattison was out, will remain the No. 1 back.
“He deserves it,” Pierce said. “The last three games, he's run his tail off."
Raiders owner Mark Davis told reporters at the NFL owners meeting in Irving, Texas, that he wouldn't make a decision on whether to retain Pierce until after the season.
“I don’t even want to talk about that right now,” Davis said. “We’re still playing through the season.”
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
Las Vegas Raiders running back Sincere McCormick (28) runs against Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Christian Izien (29) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder (10) pases in the pocket against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) passes the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2024, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Marcus Mariota emerged from the Washington Commanders' first victory celebration since Oct. 5 with a sense of relief. Beating the New York Giants 29-21 on Sunday ended their season-derailing skid at eight games.
“There’s nothing like a winning locker room,” Mariota said. “It’s hard to go two months without winning a football game.”
Now their opponent is stuck with that feeling. The Giants (2-12), who lost their eighth in a row, have not won since Oct. 9.
The only NFL game this week with no playoff implications had a far bigger bearing on draft positioning. The Giants in defeat moved a step closer to the top pick, a last-place finish in the NFC East and potentially front-office changes, with a coaching search already coming.
"I’ve never gone this long without a win in my career," said Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, who was 20 of 36 for 246 yards with touchdown passes to Tyrone Tracy and Wan'Dale Robinson and a costly interception. “I know that this isn’t going to be the case for the future, and things are going to eventually turn around. I definitely have that in my mind. Obviously, as a team we want to get that switched immediately.”
Players in Washington thought last year was evidence of turning that franchise around, with an improbable run to the conference championship game in quarterback Jayden Daniels' AP Offensive Rookie of the Year season setting expectations high. Instead, Daniels has missed significant time, including sitting out Sunday after aggravating an elbow injury, and the Commanders (4-10) also are playing out the string.
They responded from getting shut out 31-0 at Minnesota last Sunday by Jacory Croskey-Merritt running for a TD and fellow rookie Jaylin Lane returning a punt 63 yards to the end zone.
“The guys, it comes down to effort on that,” said Lane, who got the game ball from coach Dan Quinn and carried it around afterward. “It’s the longest play in football, punt returns, so just shoutout to the guys.”
Mariota connected with top receiver Terry McLaurin on a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown early in the fourth quarter, and that went a long way toward putting smiles on many faces in the visiting locker room.
“It feels amazing to win a football game,” McLaurin said. “It’s been a long season, but you come out here and you get a win and you really appreciate that feeling.”
Mariota completed only 10 passes on 19 attempts for 211 yards, with a fumble, and Croskey-Merritt had 96 on the ground.
That, along with a defensive effort that included Von Miller sacking Dart to reach 136 1/2 in his career and pass Jared Allen for 12th on the all-time list, turned out to be enough.
“It’s never easy at this point in time with what’s going on in our season, but those guys continue to fight, continue to battle,” Mariota said. “Games like this are never easy. The weather was tough, windy, cold, snowy: So many reasons, so many things for guys to not show up and play, and our guys found a way.”
Dart was escorted off the field by trainers to the sideline and went into the blue medical tent for a concussion evaluation after taking a big hit on a designed run in the fourth. He missed only two plays while getting cleared but did not understand why he was pulled.
“I was definitely surprised,” Dart said. “I didn’t feel like it was that big of a hit at all.”
This was Dart’s second game back after missing the previous two from getting concussed Nov. 9 at Chicago.
Commanders: WR Noah Brown was initially listed as questionable to return because of a back injury, which was changed to ribs when he was ruled out at halftime. ... LT Laremy Tunsil returned after leaving with a back injury, then exited again with an oblique ailment. ... DT Eddie Goldman was evaluated for a concussion.
Giants: Edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux missed a fourth consecutive game because of a shoulder injury.
Commanders: Host the reigning Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday.
Giants: Host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) catches a pass for a touchdown against Washington Commanders middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane (83) celebrates with wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. (1) after returning a punt for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Washington Commanders running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (22) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Andru Phillips (22) as he crosses the goal line for a touchdown during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. (29) catches a pass for a touchdown against Washington Commanders middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (54) during the third quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin (17) celebrates with teammates after scoring a touchdown against the New York Giants during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Washington Commanders wide receiver Jaylin Lane (83) carries the ball for a touchdown against the New York Giants during the second quarter of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
