It sounds like Connor Cook will make history Saturday when the Oakland Raiders travel to NRG Stadium for their AFC Wild Card Game against the Houston Texans.
NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday, citing sources, that the Raiders are going forward with the expectation that Cook will start at quarterback against the Texans.
Cook, a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, would become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to make his first career start in an NFL playoff game.
Matt McGloin originally took over as Oakland’s new starting quarterback after Pro Bowl signal caller Derek Carr suffered a season-ending injury in the Raiders’ Christmas Eve win over the Indianapolis Colts. McGloin suffered a shoulder injury in Sunday’s loss to the Denver Broncos, though, and he’s unlikely to be ready for Oakland’s opening-round playoff contest, per Rapoport.
It’s been a disappointing couple of weeks for the Raiders, who once had their eyes on the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They lost Carr, let an AFC West title slip away and now must begin their postseason quest on the road by virtue of the Kansas City Chiefs winning the division and securing the conference’s No. 2 seed behind the top-ranked New England Patriots.
Saturday’s Raiders-Texans matchup could be quite the doozy, all things considered. Houston announced Tuesday it will start the previously benched Brock Osweiler at quarterback, as Tom Savage is still in the concussion protocol.
Thumbnail photo via Isaiah J. Downing/USA TODAY Sports Images
