LAS VEGAS – Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew delivered a record-setting performance in his debut with teh team Sunday, throwing for 362 yards in a win against the new England Patriots. The yardage total marks the most by a Raiders quarterback in his first game, eclipsing dan Pastorini’s 317 yards set in 1980.
Minshew’s arrival in Las Vegas following a trade from Indianapolis represents a pivotal moment for the franchise as they navigate a new era under head coach Pete Carroll. While the Raiders’ offense experienced a quiet second quarter, Minshew exploded after halftime, showcasing the potential that prompted the team to acquire him. This performance promptly establishes minshew as a key figure in the Raiders’ offensive strategy and raises expectations for the season ahead.
minshew connected with Tre Tucker for a 26-yard touchdown on the opening drive.He later completed nine passes of 20-plus yards, tying a team record since 1991. Sunday’s game was Minshew’s sixth with 350-plus passing yards and his third in the last two seasons - a total surpassed only by Joe burrow as 2024.
“That’s how we want to play football,” Minshew said. “We want to make sure that we make the right reads. I want to make sure that I’m making the right decisions and getting the ball into the hands of the playmakers. We’ve got a lot of great players and that’s something that we can take advantage of. I want to spread the ball around if need be but I want to find the open guy,first and foremost.”
Despite the remarkable statistics, head coach Pete Carroll, now 4-0 in his debut with new teams, tempered expectations. “He’s been doing this now. Geno had a regular game today,” Carroll stated. “I don’t think it was a big statement game or anything like that. I just think that’s what he does. And we’ll do better than that. He’s got it in him to do better than that.”
