Matt McGloin: Grading Raiders QB's Week 11 Performance vs. Texans

Matt McGloin did a lot more than help the Oakland Raiders win for the first time on the road this season. In throwing for three touchdowns with a calm, unexpected poise in the pocket, the undrafted rookie has opened the door for a full-fledged quarterback controversy.

Making his first NFL start while Terrelle Pryor nursed a sore right knee, McGloin looked sharp most of the afternoon while becoming the first Raiders quarterback to pass for three touchdowns without an interception since Bruce Gradkowski did it against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Dec. 6, 2009.

He completed 18 of 32 passes for 197 yards and a respectable passer rating of 105.9, which is the third-highest mark by any Oakland quarterback this season.

Does one game define an NFL career? Hardly. But considering how Pryor has played over the previous month, it would be difficult to not make a case for keeping McGloin in the starting lineup.

McGloin was very decisive with his throws, made quick, crisp passes and forced the Texans to play the pass honestly rather than loading up against the run like so many teams have against the Raiders this season.

In short, the 23-year-old former college walk-on did far more than anyone could have expected.

Accuracy

McGloin’s footwork was very precise and settled, allowing him to step into his throws and put the extra zip on them needed to get the ball out quickly. That also enabled the quarterback to throw tighter spirals rather than floating the ball up for grabs as Pryor has at various times this season.

He made only a handful of bad throws, one of which somehow ended up in Andre Holmes’ hands after the wide receiver made a leaping grab for a pass that nearly sailed way over his head. McGloin also had a problem on a few crossing patterns where he threw behind the intended receivers.

The receivers didn’t do him any favors by dropping at least five passes, all of which came on catchable throws.

Part of what made McGloin so successful was the quickness with which he released the ball. He throws a harder pass than Pryor and the ball gets to receivers much more quickly, allowing them to make plays after the catch.

McGloin did run into a stretch where he threw five straight incompletions, but he was otherwise solid with where he threw the ball. Credit the coaching staff, too, for calling quick-hitting plays that worked to McGloin’s strengths.

Grade: B

Pocket presence

For a kid making just his second appearance in an NFL game (the other came in mop-up duty against the Philadelphia Eagles) McGloin looked remarkably calm and poised running the offense. He didn’t flinch in the face of Houston’s pass rush and stayed in the pocket to make plays rather than taking off when the first read wasn’t available.

The most impressive part of McGloin’s game was the decisiveness with which he threw. More often than not, he got the ball out of his hands before the Texans were even able to get close to him. He didn’t hold it for long stretches like Pryor has a penchant for, and it gave a more fluid flow to the offense.

Because he wasn’t afraid to take deep shots down the field (another element that’s been missing from Oakland’s arsenal), the Texans had to play McGloin honestly and couldn’t afford to crowd the line of scrimmage. That, in turn, opened the door for Rashad Jennings and the running game to have the kind of day they did.

Another plus? McGloin’s command of the huddle. He got the offense to the line of scrimmage in plenty of time and wasn’t rushed to get the play off, which is another area Pryor has had some issues with.

Grade: B+

Statistical performance

From a pure numbers standpoint, there’s not much shine to what McGloin did other than the passer rating. He completed only 56 percent of his pass attempts (18 of 32) and didn’t crack the 200-yard barrier despite having plenty of time to throw downfield.

Pryor has put up comparable, if not better, stats most of the season.

Yet McGloin’s impact goes well beyond the stat sheet.

The former Penn State star played with a confidence and presence in the pocket that hasn’t been seen from a Raiders quarterback since former NFL MVP Rich Gannon lined up under center for Oakland. He stepped up in the pocket, made strong throws most of the afternoon and kept the offense moving until the fourth quarter.

The bottom line is, big passing numbers don’t always translate into wins. Just ask Carson Palmer.

Grade: C+

Final thoughts

There have been whispers within Oakland’s facilities for a few weeks now that some in the building had been pushing for McGloin to start over Pryor even before Pryor got hurt. The way McGloin played against Houston, albeit a Texans team that has lost eight straight, certainly won’t sway those opinions.

What will be interesting to see is how the Raiders handle the situation moving forward.

The general rule of thumb in the NFL is that a starter can’t lose his job because of an injury. There is no timetable for when Pryor will be back, but it’s reasonable for him to assume the spot is still his.

Yet the Raiders haven’t had a performance from their quarterback like the one McGloin had in quite some time. The passing game didn’t produce at a very high level, but it was definitely the best Oakland has looked throwing the ball in quite some time.

That alone should make head coach Dennis Allen and general manager Reggie McKenzie really re-think things.

 * Any information and quotes used in this and all stories by Michael Wagaman were obtained firsthand.