Raiders starting QB job now wide-open

Terrelle Pryor looked great Friday night against the Chicago Bears. Matt Flynn looked awful. Now the two are in open competition for the Raiders’ starting quarterback gig.

by Rodger Sherman

Aug 24, 2013, 2:45 PM UTC

Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

After Terrelle Pryor made a preseason game against the Chicago Bears competitive, despite taking the field in a 24-0 hole, there's a legitimate quarterback competition between he and Matt Flynn -- something head coach Dennis Allen confirmed after the game.

From the Raiders’ website:

“I think obviously we have to look at it. I think when you look at it I don’t think Matt [Flynn] played well in this game. Obviously, I thought Terrelle [Pryor] came in and gave us a spark. I thought he played well in the game.”

Flynn, whose NFL resume essentially consists of two starts across five seasons in the league, entered the game with what appeared to be a firm grasp of the starting job. During the first two preseason games, Flynn was 16-for-21 with a touchdown, while Pryor was a dismal 7-for-15 with a pick.

But, Flynn ended up with as many interceptions -- two -- as Pryor had incompletions. Flynn went just 3-for-6 for 19 yards across five drives, with the two picks complemented by two punts and a third drive that went just seven yards before ending in a missed field goal. He left the game with his team trailing 24-0.

Pryor entered and ran a solid two-minute drill to get the team into field goal position before the end of the half. He then led the team to 17 unanswered points in the third quarter. Pryor went 7-for-9 for 93 yards and a touchdown while running for a team-high 37 yards, including a 25-yard touchdown scamper where he forced a few Bears defenders to whiff on tackles.

Allen emphasized Pryor’s mobility, but noted that wasn’t the only reason he was in the mix:

“Listen, he made some throws down the field too that were impressive throws. What I want to look at it is, who gives us the best chance to move the ball down the field and score points. And what combination of things give us the best chance to move the ball down the field and score points.”

He reiterated that one game would not force his hand in the decision-making process.

Raiders blog Silver and Black Pride also came away thinking that Pryor was in the mix, saying the game was Pryor’s best of the preseason.

Of course, this is the worst possible news for Flynn, who was usurped by another mobile young quarterback last year when rookie Russell Wilson took the starting job everybody assumed was Flynn's.