Raiders’ Jimmy Garoppolo out against Chargers leaving hole at QB in crucial division game.

After getting big last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will not play Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Due to concussion protocols, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has been ruled out for Sunday’s Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Garoppolo participated in limited practices on Thursday and Friday, but could not be cleared from the league’s concussion protocol. Raiders coach Josh McDaniels expressed uncertainty about the timing of his QB’s concussion, and as of Monday, he had yet to have a conversation with the quarterback about the incident.

“I’m not even sure what happened, or if it was just an accumulation of [visits], I don’t know,” McDaniels told the media. “There was never any conversation about it, so I’m not exactly sure, and I haven’t seen it this morning either, so I don’t know exactly when it happened or if it was just the culmination of everything.”

Although Garoppolo did not leave the game with a head injury, Garoppolo was hit in the helmet by Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick last week, causing Garoppolo’s head to come into contact with the turf less than seven minutes into the game. end. . Such impacts and head injuries are taken seriously, leading to the implementation of concussion protocols to ensure player safety. Although the Raiders have not officially announced a starting quarterback for the game, they have to choose between veteran Brian Hoyer and rookie Aidan O’Connell. Hoyer is a veteran NFL quarterback, but he has largely played a reserve role in his career in recent years, making just three starts since the 2017 season.

His experience makes him a reliable option to step in when needed. Contrarily, O’Connell is a fourth-round draft pick with potential and was ranked as the No. 11 quarterback in Bleacher Report’s 2023 NFL Draft big board.

The Raiders have a short history of rookie quarterbacks starting for their team; however, one notable exception is Derek Carr, widely regarded as one of the best rookie quarterbacks in the franchise’s history. All-Pro receiver Davante Adams expressed confidence during the week that Las Vegas will be well

prepared to adapt to either of their potential quarterbacks under center.

In the three games he has played this season, Garoppolo has completed 64 out of 94 pass attempts for 709 passing yards. He has thrown five touchdown passes but has also been intercepted six times. Here is the full injury report for the Raiders heading into their matchup against the Chargers:

OUT: QB Jimmy Garoppolo (concussion), CB Nate Hobbs (ankle)
QUESTIONABLE: S Roderic Teamer (Achilles), DE Maxx Crosby (knee), DE Malcolm Koonce (groin)
IR: LB Curtis Bolton (knee)
Las Vegas and the Chargers enter the game with identical 1-2 records. The Chargers secured their first win on the road against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.

The game is set to kick off at 4:05 p.m. ET and is crucial for both teams as they seek to improve their early-season standings in the AFC West.