Oakland Raiders: Quarterback Controversy–Matt McGloin or Terrelle Pryor?
By Danny Saeed
Nov 17, 2013; Houston, TX, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Matt McGloin (14) throws a pass against the Houston Texans at Reliant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
After an eye-popping debut for the undrafted rookie, Matt McGloin, head coach Dennis Allen is left with a considerable decision to make. Will Terrelle Pryor remain the starter for the Oakland Raiders, or will it be the walk-on arm in training camp, Matt McGloin?
"“I’m going to wait and have an opportunity to visit with Terrelle [Pryor],” Allen said Monday. “I haven’t talked to him yet, so I’m not exactly sure where he is physically. I will say this. I will say that obviously with Matt’s performance, he’s certainly earned the right to be in the discussion. That’s for sure.”"
Allen was then asked directly if Pryor would be the starter against Tennessee this coming Sunday, and had an interesting response.
"“Well I’m not going to get into hypotheticals yet because I don’t know that,” said Allen. “When I figure out and get an opportunity to sit down and talk to Terrelle and find out where he is physically, then I’ll have all the information I need to make the decision on who will start this Sunday.“Listen, we’re going to look at all the factors involved, measure out what those factors are and then I’ll make a decision.”"
In case you’ve chosen to boycott the television and all social media for the past few days, McGloin filled in for an injured Pryor and displayed a marvelous performance.
McGloin came out firing bullets, and I don’t mean any less of that. The entire receiving core seemed to be caught off-guard by the velocity of McGloin’s throws, and how quickly the ball was being released. Drop back, hit back foot, and bang — ball was out. The offensive line held their own against the vicious pass rush of the Houston Texans, though the poised whippersnapper made their jobs significantly easier by getting rid of the ball in a swift.
The former Penn State alumni threw a whopping three touchdown passes on the day, along with 197 yards in the air, and a pass completion percentage of 56.2.
The youngster posted an impressive 105.9 quarterback rating in an exceptionally hostile environment, on the road, against the league’s number one ranked defense. Oakland’s offensive woes flew directly out the window with McGloin under center, for they were able to pile up 28 points in a much needed road victory. This was particularly refreshing for Raider Nation, considering how amateurish the offense has been as of late.
As popular as Pryor may be in the black hole, he has struggled terribly in his last three match-ups as the starting quarterback, and in addition, the offense has stumbled. The speedy signal caller has thrown five interceptions to ZERO touchdown passes his last three starts. He’s averaging just 166 yards in the air and a pass completion of 49.5 in that three game span.
McGloin threw three touch down passes in one game, whereas Pryor’s thrown five through eight games.
Pryor is a special athlete with tremendous size and abilities, though the reality is, him and the offense have struggled as of late. McGloin came in for one game and posted 28 points in an offense that looked dangerous for 60 minutes. One game is certainly too soon to label McGloin as a viable option for the franchise, or even a better option than Pryor, although he’s earned the right for another start without question.
The coaching staff needs to handle this situation very delicately, but McGloin should undoubtedly be the starting quarterback this coming Sunday.