AFC Notes: Raiders QB Battle, Patrick Mahomes, Broncos, Chiefs

Broncos

• Former Broncos DT Luther Elliss said his son, third-round OLB Jonah Elliss is fully healthy after having labrum surgery last December: “He’s still recovering from his (surgery) as far as his strength. He was really happy that he felt stronger in the game (vs. Colts) than maybe he has all camp.” (Chris Tomasson)

Chiefs

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes explained what went into the behind-the-back throw he finally attempted and completed in a game, flicking a ball to TE Travis Kelce in Saturday’s preseason game against the Lions. Mahomes said Kelce ran the wrong route and was supposed to go out to the flat. Instead he blocked and released inside, where Mahomes hit him with the pass. 

“We had the leverage we wanted,” Mahomes said via the Athletic’s Nate Taylor. “I should’ve known because (Kelce) asked me what (route) he had as he was motioning over. You can kind of see him look back at me. But I thought I told him and it was going to be open, so I pulled (the ball after the play-action fake) and then he wasn’t out there, so I was going to run for it.

“Of course, he was blocking and then he just turned around and I threw it to him.”

“I didn’t do it to look cool,” Mahomes added. “I literally did it as I was, like, pissed. I was like, ‘Why didn’t you run that route like that?’ It just worked out.”

Raiders

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce said the team will sit down and make a decision on the starting quarterback between Aidan O’Connell and Gardner Minshew in the next couple of days. Both have had all of training camp and two preseason games to state their case, and unfortunately, neither has separated from the other. 

“Everybody wants to see a player just take it and say, ‘Hey, I’m your guy.’ Well, obviously, that’s probably not the case,” Pierce said via the Athletic’s Tashan Reed. “We’re going to have to make a decision and we’re going to live with it and we’re going to support whoever that quarterback is for the Raiders going forward.”

Pierce didn’t tip his hand on who the winner would be but said he would use more than just the two preseason games to decide a winner. Minshew completed just 10 of 21 passes against the Cowboys on Saturday, while O’Connell had a touchdown but also a pick-six. 

“It’s going to be everything,” Pierce said. “Command of the offense, the operational part, efficiency. The turnovers are huge, right? Taking care of the football is going to be important for our team. And then I think it’s just sitting there with Telesco and Luke over a couple of days and really pinpointing who’s going to get us off to a fast start and get us to where we want to be in that first quarter of the season.”

• According to Aaron Wilson, the Raiders worked out DB Trenton Thompson.