Written by Kyle Austin at MLive.com
After waiting through 16 weeks to see his first NFL action, Connor Cook may have the reins for his team’s first playoff game in more than a decade.
The former Michigan State standout quarterback came off the bench in the Raiders’ regular season finale on Sunday, and could see the start this Saturday when the Raiders play the Texans in an AFC Wild Card game.
The game will mark Oakland’s first playoff appearance since the 2002 season, when it lost in the Super Bowl.
Cook entered the second-to-last game of the season as the Raiders third-string quarterback. He became the team’s backup when Derek Carr broke his leg against Indianapolis in Week 16.
When new starter Matt McGloin left Sunday’s game against Denver with an injury, Cook was pressed into action.
He finished the game 14-for-21 with 150 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also lost a fumble.
“I thought I made some good throws,” Cook said, according to The Mercury News.”Obviously put the ball on the ground too many times and I gave them one with the interception. But it’s a learning experience. We’re going to put this behind us and focus on next week.”
Raiders coach Jack Del Rio said during his Monday press conference that the team’s playoff starter will be determined by how practice goes this week.
“I’m going to do what I’ve been doing all year,” Cook said. “Even when I was inactive, I was still watching the film, still studying the game plan, still going over everything. My reads, my hots, all that. It’s not going to change anything for me. I’m going to still prep as if I’m playing. It doesn’t matter if I’m backup, starter or whatever, I’m still going to prep.”
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