Antonio Pierce is up against it…
(AP) HENDERSON, Nev. Antonio Pierce is aware that the NFL is a results-driven organization, and he has five more games to convince the Raiders to remove the interim tag and promote him to head coach.
“It’s race time now,” Pierce declared on Monday. “The time is running out. It will soon come to an end. I understand. The nicest part is that I know I’ve improved by the time this is over.
Since he took over for the dismissed Josh McDaniels, Las Vegas is 2-2. They have wins over both of the New York clubs, who have a combined record of 8-15, and defeats to Miami and Kansas City, who are both 8-3 and in the lead in their respective divisions.
However, Pierce’s situation doesn’t exactly improve following the bye week.
The Raiders’ final five games—four of which are in Kansas City against the Chiefs—are against teams who have winning records. One of the best quarterbacks in the league, Justin Herbert, helped the 4-7 Los Angeles Chargers—the only team with a losing record—beat Las Vegas 24–17 on October 1.
One of those final five opponents was defeated by the Raiders, who began the season with a 17-16 victory at Denver. But Russell Wilson is getting back into his old playmaking stride, and the Broncos are currently enjoying a five-game winning streak.
Pierce could have a compelling case to hold onto the position if he can at least remain competitive in the closing stages and perhaps even steal a win or two. Additionally, history would be on his side as he would still be reminded of the time two years prior that Davis chose McDaniels over interim coach Rich Bisaccia, who had recently led the Raiders to the postseason.
a decision that, looking back, wasn’t the best.
But Davis has demonstrated a propensity to grab hold of a bright item, offering Jon Gruden a 10-year contract in 2018 in an attempt to entice him away from the broadcast booth. Davis might try to make a push for a coach who will stand out after this season—think of Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh as an example.
Pierce is not assuming anything and has a thorough understanding of the industry.
“I have five weeks left,” Pierce declared. “Acquire the right. I will be off for 52 weeks, which is a long period, if I don’t do well. I’m proficient at arithmetic.
SUCCESSFUL
Under Pierce, Josh Jacobs has gained momentum. He gained 39 yards against the Dolphins in his one bad game. Aside from that, Jacobs ran for 98, 116, and 110 yards. The Raiders will need this kind of output to finish the season, since this was a lot more like to the back that led the NFL in rushing the previous year. Additionally, given the financial situation facing running backs, it would likely only slightly strengthen Jacobs’ case for a new contract.