NFL Power Rankings Summary: The Raiders' quarterback carousel leads to tank talk

After another loss on Sunday, it's difficult for the Las Vegas Raiders to be optimistic about the rest of the season, especially since the team's quarterback situation is about as bad as it gets.

Aidan O'Connell is on injured reserve after breaking his thumb against the Los Angeles Rams, making Gardner Minshew the team's expected starter, while Desmond Ridder, who was on the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad, is Minshew's main competition for the job is.

So this week's NFL Power Rankings roundup contains a lot of tank talk, as the Raiders are firmly at the bottom of the league and will likely turn to the NFL Draft to find a long-term solution at quarterback.

31. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 32

With quarterback Aidan O'Connell heading to injured reserve with a broken thumb, the Raiders needed someone to back up Gardner Minshew in case he gets hurt or the joint stinks. Apparently that someone is Desmond Ridder. Given what we saw from Ridder as the Falcons' starter last year, there's a good chance he's simply the latest in this line of Raiders quarterbacks who are relentless in turning the ball over and taking too many sacks. There is nothing redeemable about this offense, and that was true before the Davante Adams trade. That Las Vegas couldn't score anything other than a floorer for Alexander Mattison against the Rams on Sunday is further evidence that it's time to trade someone with real value and push everything toward 2025.

The Ringer also put Las Vegas on tank watch, which is fair considering the team just lost to a depleted Rams team that went 1-4 in the contest. But the idea that “there is nothing redeeming about the Raiders’ offense” is simply not true. Brock Bowers is a stud, Jackson Powers-Johnson and DJ Glaze have shown promise, and Dylan Parham is having his best season as a pro. The unit still has a lot to do, but has some young talent that will provide a good foundation for a rebuild.

28. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 27

The Raiders are now backed into a corner by Aidan O'Connell's broken thumb, which sent him to injured reserve. Gardner Minshew was back under center on Sunday against the Rams, and he had major issues with turnovers, giving up three picks and a fumble that was returned for a score. That was pretty much the game. Minshew has made a few plays and is capable of magic here and there, but he needs to get some confidence back after this tough performance. Davante Adams is gone and there's only one left one Brock Bowers in the squad. He's absolutely great and Alexander Mattison and Tre Tucker are nice pieces. There are simply far too many holes in this offense for Minshew to be able to play fast and loose with ball security. Antonio Pierce also played the game extremely conservatively and was content with three field goals in the second half inside the red zone; After the two-minute warning, he allowed too much time to expire before using his timeouts. With the Chiefs and Bengals suddenly facing a Week 10 bye, the Raiders need a spark.

This seems to be a much fairer analysis of the Silver and Black's offense. There are a lot of problems here too, but it's not like the closet is completely devoid of talent. The criticism of Pierce is also accurate. His game management was terrible and needs to improve as the season progresses.

Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

27. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 26

The Raiders are still fighting for head coach Antonio Pierce.

Pierce hasn't lost the locker room despite a team meeting early in the season and Adams' departure. However, he will likely coach to keep his job as owner Mark Davis welcomes Fox Sports analyst Tom Brady as a minority owner and someone he will consult on football decisions. If the Raiders stop on the field, Pierce could be finished in Las Vegas, but they're not at that point yet. — Moe Moton

As for Moton, the Raiders fought until the end of the game last week. They – especially the defense – were only held back by the inept play of the quarterbacks. However, Brady's presence could pose a threat to Pierce's job security, as the former New England Patriots quarterback will likely be a loud voice in Davis' ear, potentially pushing the owner to hire someone from his network.

Last week: 25

Who did they hit? Ravens, Browns

Perhaps the most confusing result of the 2024 season is the Raiders' Week 2 win at Baltimore. Since then, the Raiders are 1-4 and have only beaten the Browns. Quarterback Aidan O'Connell is headed to injured reserve with a broken thumb, and on Monday they signed Desmond Ridder from the Cardinals' practice squad, but does it really matter? At least there is tight end Brock Bowers. The rookie ranks second among all tight ends in yards per route run (2.26), which is especially impressive considering he has run more routes than all but three other tight ends. His 447 receiving yards lead all tight ends.

Fun Bowers Stat of the Week; He also leads all tight ends in yards after the catch (258) and first downs (23) by a wide margin, with 57 yards and four first downs. In the latter, the difference between second and third is one, and only five tight ends have 15 or more first downs, according to Pro Football Focus.

28. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week: 27

Young climber: LG Jackson Powers-Johnson

The second-round draft pick had a slow start to his career due to injury. But the 21-year-old Powers-Johnson has shown as a rookie that he is a fundamental offensive player, both in his technique and his attitude, since becoming the starter in Week 4. Coach Antonio Pierce said he had already been instructed by referees to keep an eye on Powers-Johnson's aggression on the field. —Paul Gutierrez

As mentioned above, the second-round pick is another bright spot for the Silver and Black. He had his ups and downs on the field, but there were enough good players who are optimistic about his development. For example, Powers-Johnson posted a season-high 81.1 PFF run-blocking grade last week.