The Raiders lost their season opener Sunday to the Colts in a game where QB Terrelle Pryor described his play as “awful.”
Terrelle Pryor beat out Matt Flynn in the preseason to win the QB1 job for the Raiders. In a game most analysts expected to be a blowout, Pryor almost led Oakland to an upset victory. The Raiders lost 21-17.
After throwing two interceptions, one on a critical fourth quarter drive, Pryor gave himself no credit in keeping the Raiders competitive. In his post game conference, he said:
“Please don’t write this as cocky because it’s not. Anytime I get on the field, I feel like I’m the best player out there, and that my team is going to have a chance to win. That’s my job. I need to get the ball into the right hands and make plays. We have to get better. I know I do.”
Terrelle Pryor sounded anything but cocky after a game that opened eyes to the massive upside he brings to the Raiders.
The really good news for Raiders fans is how mature Pryor sounds after two seasons on the bench:
“The record is all that matters to me. I don’t care what my numbers are. I just want to do well for the team, and I didn’t do well enough.”
Pryor’s words starkly contrast his selfish path to the NFL. While playing for Ohio State in 2011, Pryor was caught in a scandal where he and teammates received “improper benefits.” Pryor withdrew from the university and was banned from contacting Ohio State in the future. He also became ineligible for the NFL draft.
Later in 2011 Terrelle Pryor was allowed to declare for the supplemental draft and was taken in the second round by the Raiders. He was former owner Al Davis’ last draft pick before he passed away.
Pryor has seen bottom and is still working his way back to the top. It shows the growth of him as a man to accept responsibility for the Raiders loss and acknowledge his own shortcomings.
Here are game highlight to judge Pryor’s performance for yourself:
No one would have blamed Pryor if he was satisfied with his impressive stat line (two interceptions excluded) in a game no one thought the Raiders would come close to winning.
Do you think Terrelle Pryor was “awful” in his opening season debut?
[image via Wikimedia Commons ]