On Thursday night, the Oakland Raiders played their final preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks. Here are three takeaways from the game.

Week 4 in the NFL preseason is difficult to analyze. Most teams use the final week to evaluate players that they need to see more of, such as rookies, backups, and veterans trying to make the team.

Therefore, it is unsurprising that NFL teams chose to rest their starters in the final game before the start of the regular season. The Oakland Raiders were no different on Thursday night when they took the field against the Seattle Seahawks.

The Raiders didn’t play any of their key starters in their 24-20 loss on Thursday. Still, there are some key takeaways to be found from last night’s Battle of the Backups.

3. E.J. Manuel gets start despite poor performances

Former Buffalo Bills quarterback E.J. Manuel and Connor Cook has been locked in a battle for the backup quarter back position. Manuel was initially listed as the team’s backup quarterback after consistently outperforming Cook, who was the Raiders backup last season, throughout training camp and the first game of the preseason.

However, Oakland’s two preseason games since then have told a different story. In the Raiders second preseason game against the Los Angeles Rams, Manuel was dreadful. Manuel played for over a full quarter and went 3-of-9 for only 16 yards. Cook played only the final quarter and went 9-of-15 for 83 yards and a touchdown.

The third preseason game against the Dallas Cowboys continued the complicate the battle. Cook went 9-of-16 for 89 yards. In comparison, Manuel went 2-of-4 for eight yards on four drives. What once seemed like a lock for Manuel was suddenly up in the air.

At least that was the thought before Thursday night. Manuel got the start on Thursday night, which suggests that the job is still his. Neither quarterback did anything particularly spectacular during the game to sway coaches either way. Manuel finished the game with 85 yards and touchdown, going 9-of-14 in the process. Cook, on the other hand, went 8-of-19 for 88 yards and threw one interception in the final seconds of the game.

In an ideal world, it wouldn’t really matter who the Raiders pick as their backup quarterback. However, Oakland learned last season how important a backup quarterback can be. In the Raiders first playoff appearance in 13 seasons, Cook went 18-of-45 for 161 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions in a losing effort to the Houston Texans.