Terrelle Pryor: The Future of the Oakland Raiders?
By John Adair
Once more, the Oakland Raiders dual-threat quarterback rose to the occasion and delivered a victory over AFC West rivals, the San Diego Chargers.
After a first half in which Terrelle Pryor looked unstoppable, his offensive line was disappointing in the second half, not allowing him to get into much of a rhythm. Regardless, he managed to create plays with both his arm and legs throughout the game that impressed around the league. When faced with a critical third down in the fourth quarter, he was able to convert with an incredible throw after scrambling.
Pryor threw for 221 yards and two touchdowns. The youngster’s versatility, not just with his legs, but his arm, has been the most remarkable trait of his first season as the starter in Oakland. After opening the game with a 44-yard touchdown pass to Rod Streater, Pryor went 88 yards in eight minutes with a touchdown pass to Denarius Moore to give the Raiders a 14-0 lead early on.
The 27-17 win on Sunday over the Chargers put Pryor’s Raiders at a record of 2-3. While their record is not all that impressive, the unexpected success of their quarterback has opened the eyes of scouts, coaches, players, and fans around the National Football League.