The Oakland Raiders are heading into the 2013 season with high expectations despite going just 4-12 last season after making a number of moves in free agency, but the success or failure likely will be dictated from the quarterback position and the team has Matt Flynn, Terrelle Pryor and Tyler Wilson as well as Matt McGloin on the roster as the season looms.
Flynn is the starter right now since he was traded for and head coach Dennis Allen feels he gives the team the best chance to win, but after he played very poorly in the preseason, many have called on giving Pryor or Wilson a chance. Grantland.com looks at the Raiders and tries to make a case for Pryor starting, as he has shown that he is very athletic and talented despite having some shortcomings as an NFL quarterback.
Friday's 34-26 loss in the game against the Bears didn't do any favors for Flynn, as he completed just three of his six passes for under 20 yards and the offense looked stagnant. The team made just two first downs and after a turnover, it was clear the crowd wanted to see Terrelle Pryor and eventually they got their wish, but he wasn't able to do much either. The preseason game against the Chicago Bears had a nice 20-plus yard scramble and he looked more comfortable in the offense and ended up with 93 yards passing on seven of nine passes with one touchdown and he also had four rushes for 37 yards and a score.
Al Davis took Pryor (maybe foolishly) in the supplemental draft and saw him in the mold of Cam Newton and that type of quarterback and while he has the talent, so far he has not been able to put it together, including last season when he got his chances over Carson Palmer. Reggie McKenzie has been working on the roster for two years and has said that he liked what he has seen from Pryor, but that he needs more development.
Grantland argues that Pryor could be a good option to start because the team is expected to be bad, so "why not make it interesting" is basically the argument. Against the Saints, Pryor finished with one of five passing for nine yards and no touchdowns and he took one sack for seven yards while he also rushed for 15 yards on four carries. Preseason time is limited, but after the way Flynn played, the fans wanted to see Pryor work some type of magic. He had 88 yards passing against the Cowboys in the opening preseason win and Grantland writes that he will have another chance to play in the preseason and if the Raiders are bad enough, they might draft Jadeveon Clowney or Teddy Bridgewater next year.
The Raiders made a number of improvements over the past offseason and added names like Charles Woodson, Tracy Porter, Mike Jenkins and Nick Roach, so the defense should be improved. The draft also saw names like DJ Hayden, Brice Butler, Nick Kasa, Latavius Murray and Menelik Watson. If Pryor starts, he will need all the help he can get.