The Oakland Raiders dream return to the postseason has been ruined completely by the season-ending injury to franchise quarterback Derek Carr after Indianapolis Colts pass rusher Trent Cole ended the MVP candidate’s season in Week 16. Cole’s hit has caused an 180-degree turn of fortune for the Raiders from the team of the moment on pace for the AFC West to a team that now needs a miracle to achieve their goal of a Super Bowl run in their first postseason appearance since their NFC Championship run in 2002.
After a season finale loss to the Denver Broncos with veteran backup Matt McGloin as the starter with rookie Connor Cook splitting time after McGloin exited the game due to injury, the Raiders are now in a worst case scenario. Now the fifth seed in the AFC, Oakland will not only have to carry on without their leader but have to do so as a Wild Card team. A turn of events that impacts the Raiders nearly as much as Carr’s injury now that the Silver and Black need wins in three straight road games to get to the Super Bowl.
After McGloin left the game with a reported shoulder injury, the Raiders now also enter the playoffs with a quarterback controversy between two quarterbacks who proved to be significant dropoffs in talent from Carr over four quarters against the Broncos in their lone regular season tuneup. The scenario gives head coach Jack Del Rio and offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave plenty to think about over the course of the week in a decision that has plenty of factors that need consideration before the Raiders pick their starter to take on the Houston Texans.
The first factor before anything is considered by Del Rio and the Raiders for Saturday when it comes to the starting quarterback will be the health of McGloin’s shoulder after he was knocked out of the game by the Broncos pass rush. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported the Raiders are not optimistic that McGloin will be able to start against the Texans. McGloin’s injury status tips the scales in favor of starting Cook as an injured McGloin provides very little upside to the Raiders offense. It was evident that even a 100% healthy version of the fourth-year passer will struggle to move the ball downfield under center based on the first half against Denver, which makes it hard to fathom Del Rio moving forward with McGloin unless his shoulder heals up over the next few days.
However, the Raiders would have been wise to make the move to Cook for the Wild Card even if McGloin wasn’t banged up by the Broncos on Sunday. In fact, when you consider the outside factors involved, it is clear the Raiders will be better off if they are forced to give the fourth round pick out of Michigan State his first ever NFL start in the playoffs come this weekend.
The biggest non-injury factor that makes Cook the better option for the Raiders is the presence of McGloin’s expiring contract at the end of the playoffs. If the Raiders so stick with McGloin, they will do so with the risk that the opportunity will be an audition for the quarterback to try to increase his free agency value rather than to develop for a future as Carr’s backup. Should McGloin leave, the Raiders would be handing invaluable snaps to a player who would be gone from the franchise by March in what would be a worst-case scenario for the team.
On the other side of the coin, the Raiders made a big investment in Cook when they traded up to select the former Spartans passer early in the fourth round this past spring. After taking Cook ahead of Dak Prescott, the Raiders reportedly were interested in the potential of developing Cook into an asset down the road and now have the perfect opportunity to try to drive up his trade value with playoff experience. It is unlikely Cook will get many more opportunities to play in big moments for the Raiders during his developmental process with the team under Carr, but they can make the most out of a very unfortunate situation through starting the rookie in the playoffs.
To further drive home the case for Cook, the rookie looked considerably better through the course of his performance on Sunday than the more experienced McGloin. While the Raiders offense struggled with mistimed passes and penalties when McGloin was under center, it managed to offer some glimpses of hope when chasing a three score lead once Cook entered the game.
Cook did fumble and throw an interception, but it was clear that the rookie has more than enough talent to earn the playoff start as the Raiders offense did move the ball through the air after an anemic first half with McGloin. Cook’s throws were far sharper and it appeared that the rookie has developed from the preseason to the point where he will be reliable enough to give the Raiders a chance of getting past the first round against a Texans team with similar problems at quarterback.
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Regardless of who the Raiders start this weekend, their first postseason appearance since 2002 is almost guaranteed to be a lost one thanks to Carr’s injury. If they start Cook, they will have at least one more silver lining to their nightmare end to a successful season of progression for a young team on the rise. If McGloin is unavailable or if Del Rio decides to give Cook the start if McGloin is cleared, the Raiders will be better off through the opportunity to give their prospect a golden chance to sink or swim under the bright lights of the playoffs.
