LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew suffered a potentially serious injury when he was sacked and landed hard on his left shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos.
Minshew left the game clutching his shoulder after being tackled by linebackers Cody Barton and Jonathon Cooper. According to multiple reports, Minshew suffered a broken collarbone that will force him to miss the rest of the season.
“We’ll know more, but doesn’t look good,” coach Antonio Pierce said after the Raiders lost 29-19.
With the Raiders (2-9) trailing 26-19 with 3:12 left, Minshew dropped back and scrambled to his right, and Barton and Cooper brought the 28-year-old journeyman to the turf.
Minshew was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who played just two downs before losing a fumble. He scrambled for 3 yards on second down and then fumbled after being sacked by Broncos linebacker Nik Bonitto. Lineman Malcolm Roach recovered and the Broncos took over at the Raiders 17.
Minshew was 25 of 42 for 230 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. Ridder finished 5 of 10 for 64 yards.
“We obviously got to be able to go out there and execute and finish by the end of the fourth quarter,” Ridder said. “We just got to be better on offense. We just got to be able to execute better. When it comes down to it, we got to be able to make those big plays.”
The Raiders played without their top two running backs as well as two starters at cornerback, two on the defensive line and one at safety.
Second-year quarterback Aidan O’Connell is eligible to come off injured reserve this week, which could help the Raiders as they prepare to play at Kansas City on Friday.
O’Connell suffered a thumb injury against the Los Angeles Rams on Oct. 20.
“We’re gonna need somebody, right?” Pierce said. “We’re running out of quarterbacks, too, now. We’ll see what happens tomorrow. But obviously it looks like (O’Connell’s) getting better.
“He threw a little bit in practice this week. Obviously, we got a short week. Play on Friday, travel on Thursday, so we have to make that decision very quickly.”
Ridder said he’ll be ready to start if needed.
“I’ve been here almost a month now, feel comfortable with the offense, ready to go,” Ridder said. “So whatever that situation may be, it’s not up to me, it’s up to the higher power. But I’m ready for any situation there may be.”
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