The Las Vegas Raiders made a bold move this offseason by signing Jimmy Garoppolo, who has a long history of getting plagued by injuries. The team even didn’t halt from parting ways with their nine-year starter Derek Carr to pave the way for their new starting quarterback.
After suffering a defeat to the Buffalo Bills in week 2, the Raiders faced another setback by losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Sunday night’s game. Unfortunately, bad luck struck Garoppolo once again, as the quarterback has been placed in the NFL’s concussion protocol following the match.
Jimmy Garoppolo’s status hangs in balance after concussion concerns
Garoppolo took several hits from Steelers players and was sacked four times, completing 28 of 44 pass attempts for 324 yards and two touchdowns, but also throwing three interceptions. After the game, the quarterback was scheduled to speak at the podium, but he couldn’t be present as he was being evaluated for a concussion after heading to the locker room.
The 31-year-old took a hit to the helmet from Pittsburgh star Minkah Fitzpatrick, leading him to have trouble walking off the field before limping off to go on the sideline. However, he once again returned back to the field and played the entire match. Hence, Las Vegas coach Josh McDaniels said he had no idea when the veteran suffered the concussion and said he would talk to the QB.
“I’m not even sure what hit or if it was just an accumulation of [hits], I have no idea. There was never a conversation about that, so I’m not sure, exactly, and I haven’t seen him yet this morning, so I’m not exactly sure when it took place, or if it was just a culmination of things,” he said.
As of now, there is no update on whether Garoppolo will miss the upcoming game. However, the head coach mentioned that if Jimmy fails to return to the field for any game, 15th-year veteran Brian Hoyer will take over his spot, with rookie Aidan O’Connell listed behind him on the depth chart.
Raiders fell to Steelers
In the match between the Steelers and Raiders at Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas struck first as Garoppolo connected with Davante Adams for a successful 32-yard touchdown pass, giving them a 7-0 lead. However, the Steelers, on their way to their first win this season, gained momentum in the second quarter after a 72-yard touchdown from Kenny Pickett. They took a 10-7 lead following a 43-yard field goal from Chris Boswell, who later added two more field goals to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to 16-7.
The Raiders attempted to narrow the lead and had a chance in the final moments of the game. With just a few minutes left, they closed the gap to 15-23 before Daniel Carlson added a field goal, resulting in a final score of 23-18 in defeat. Las Vegas will go up against the Los Angeles Chargers in their next game.
Do you think they can secure a victory in that match? Share your thoughts in the comments.
