VIDEO: Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell Reveals Who’s To Blame For The Team’s Heartbreaking Loss To Chiefs

Aidan O’Connell and Patrick Mahomes (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell had a blunt and honest answer as to who should be blamed for the team’s heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Black Friday.

The 2-9 Raiders were close to upsetting the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs, thanks to a remarkable effort by the second-year quarterback. Aidan O’Connell threw for 340 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions in a 19-17 loss.

Las Vegas was in field range (at the Kansas City 32) for Daniel Carlson. Facing a 3rd-and-3 situation with 15 seconds left, O’Connell couldn’t corral the snap from center Jackson Powers-Johnson, and the Chiefs scooped up the ball to seal the win:

The Raiders fumble it, the Chiefs recover it to seal the game ‼️#LVvsKC on Prime Video
Also streaming on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/WvNvUONRM5

— NFL (@NFL) November 29, 2024

There was confusion for several moments, as everyone anxiously awaited the penalty call. The Raiders were flagged for an illegal shift, so the Chiefs’ takeaway was upheld in a tight two-point win.

Aidan O’Connell : 23/35 for a career-high 340 yards, 2 TD’s & a 116.4 QB Rating (Game-ending lost fumble with 11 seconds left after the Center Andre James snapped the ball while O’Connell wasn’t looking)

pic.twitter.com/WbMm7rPYqW

— Lee Harvey (@MusikFan4Life) November 30, 2024

Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral NFL stories via Google!Follow Us

After the game, Aidan O’Connell pointed the finger at himself and shifted the blame away from Powers-Johnson.

“It’s completely my fault,” O’Connell said, per Nick Walters of KTNV. “Jackson did exactly what he should have done, and I clapped too early…there’s nobody to blame but myself.”

Aidan O’Connell Gave The Raiders A Chance

Aidan O’Connell will be commended (as he should be) for refusing to blame his teammates in the loss. But it’s also hard to put the blame on a quarterback who dominated one of football’s best defenses and gave his team every opportunity to win, despite being vastly short-handed against the defending champs.

Las Vegas is in the running for the first-overall pick. The fact that O’Connell nearly led Vegas to victory should only inspire his confidence.