Raiders GM Tom Telesco's job: Get the QB position fixed

HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — After the Raiders ended their 10-game losing streak Sunday with a 19-14 victory over the Jaguars, Las Vegas coach Antonio Pierce was asked about the part of the fan base that was disappointed in ceding NFL draft position.

Pierce was direct and brief in his response.

“Talk to Tom Telesco,” he said.

Teleso, the club's general manager, will have the onus of trying to find a quarterback in April's draft even if his job was made more difficult with the win over Jacksonville. The Raiders (3-12) went from a head-to-head fight with the New York Giants for the top selection down to sixth, according to Tankathon.

And they could continue to move down the draft order over the next two weeks.

The Raiders are only 1 1/2-point underdogs at BetMGM Sportsbook in Sunday's game at New Orleans. Then they finish the season at home against the Chargers. But Los Angeles might come to Las Vegas having locked in a playoff seed and playing largely reserves.

So it's possible the Raiders pick around 10th next year, they selected 13th earlier this year and went with tight end Brock Bowers. Given that Bowers is a strong candidate for AP Offensive Rookie of the Year and only 10 yards behind breaking Mike Ditka's 63-year-old record for a rookie tight end, it's not as if the Raiders struck out.

But they also missed out on the top six quarterbacks who were selected. All are starting except one — No. 10 pick J.J. McCarthy is out the entire season because of a knee injury.

So, and this goes back to Pierce's statement, it's up to Telesco to do something about finding a quarterback. That likely will mean orchestrating a trade to move ahead of other QB-needy teams in the draft to choose either Colorado's Shedeur Sanders or Miami's Cam Ward.

Either would inject much-needed life in this organization, and both are considered at least a step above the other prospects at that position.

Getting the quarterback decision right is what Telesco will be judged on in Las Vegas.

His coach's focus is more short term. Pierce is busy trying to win games, even if that makes the GM's already-difficult job more demanding.

“Look, we work 80 hours a week, the staff,” Pierce said Monday. "The players come in here 40-plus hours to work. We don’t do this to lose. We don’t do this for anybody’s fantasy football team. We don’t do this for anybody’s draft projections. None of that (stuff) matters to us. The only thing that matters is winning, and that’s all we want to do.”

What’s working

The Raiders have held three of the past four opponents to fewer than 20 points. True, one was a Chiefs offense that has struggled at times this season, and the other two were the Falcons with a quarterback since benched and the Jaguars without their starting QB because of an injury. But it's still impressive considering the numerous injuries Las Vegas defense has absorbed.

What needs help

On the other side of the ball, the offense has been held to fewer than 20 points the past six games and 10 times overall. The current skid is the fourth longest in club history. A struggling running game doesn't help. There's that whole needing a quarterback in the draft thing as well.

Stock up

S Isaiah Pola-Mao became the first Raiders defensive back in 25 years to force multiple fumbles in a game. Hall of Famer Charles Woodson was the previous player to accomplish that feat. Pola-Mao began the season as a backup, but Marcus Epps tore his ACL three games into the season.

Stock down

The Raiders have been held to fewer than 70 yards rushing nine times this season, including each of the past two weeks.

Injuries

CBs Nate Hobbs (illness) and Sam Webb (back/illness) and G Jordan Meredith (ankle) did not play against the Jaguars.

Key number

6 — How many takeaways the defense has created over the past three games, three interceptions and three fumble recoveries. They had just five takeaways (all interceptions) over the first 12 games.

What’s next

At New Orleans on Sunday in a game that will have draft-order implications for both teams. The chances of Saints quarterback Derek Carr facing his old team are iffy given he has a broken non-throwing hand.

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Mark Anderson, The Associated Press