Teams Las Vegas Raiders - The Black Hole

[andana]

Been a nice bonus how Koonce has finished the season.

McDaniel put him into special teams after he almost hit Carr at training. He may have stayed there if not for Jones leaving.
AP really backed him in.

 

[andana]

For the third straight time this season, Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell is nominated for Rookie of the Week.

This time, the rookie quarterback is nominated for his phenomenal performance in Week 18 against the Denver Broncos in Allegiant Stadium.

In the Raiders season finale 27-14 win against the Broncos, O'Connell finished with a 110.1 passer rating, which happened to be his second-best mark of the season, just behind his 120.7 passer rating in Week 15. He also completed 20 completions of 31 passes for 244 yards and threw two touchdowns.

In his first rookie season with the Silver and Black, O'Connell had a passer rating of 83.9 with 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 12 games this season since taking over as the starter midseason.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Zamir White finished 9th out of all qualifying RBs (100 carries or more this season) for yards after contact per attempt.

 

[andana]

The #Titans have requested to interview #Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce for their vacant head coaching job, source said. Las Vegas may have some competition.

Saban available, insert smiley face thingy

 

[Bad Brain]

The #Titans have requested to interview #Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce for their vacant head coaching job, source said. Las Vegas may have some competition.

Saban available, insert smiley face thingy

Lol I saw a report the Titans were interviewing McDaniels

 

[Chewy316]

Raiders are interviewing Terrance Gray tomorrow (and Ed Dodds). Once they complete the Gray interview they'll have fulfilled the Rooney Rule and be able to hire a GM at any point hereon.

Harbaugh isn't going to announce any plans until after the championship parade Monday our time so I don't expect anything to really eventuate for the Raiders on the GM or HC side of things until next week.

Mark wants Harbaugh but he's very torn because the entire organisation has bought into AP.

I hope we hire Harbaugh just so in two weeks time when I meet Tom Brady I can ask him "who's got it better than us?"

 

[Chewy316]

Antonio Pierce's agent is very clever, coordinating Maxx's trade request possibility announcement the very day Pierce happens to be interviewing in Tennessee.

Fwiw I'm hearing both Champ and AP are likely to be retained, but Harbaugh still looms large. Mark is genuinely torn. Crosby is under contract the next three seasons so there's no need to trade him, and I'd personally find it incredible if he didn't buy in to Harbaugh. But if he wanted out, you could use the assets gained to trade up to get your franchise QB in the draft.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Antonio Pierce's agent is very clever, coordinating Maxx's trade request possibility announcement the very day Pierce happens to be interviewing in Tennessee.

Fwiw I'm hearing both Champ and AP are likely to be retained, but Harbaugh still looms large. Mark is genuinely torn. Crosby is under contract the next three seasons so there's no need to trade him, and I'd personally find it incredible if he didn't buy in to Harbaugh. But if he wanted out, you could use the assets gained to trade up to get your franchise QB in the draft.

And completely destroy the defensive side of the ball.

 

[Chewy316]

And completely destroy the defensive side of the ball.

Well you're not completely destroying it because Crosby ain't the only reason they're a top 10 unit. If he were the sole reason, they would have been a top 10 D back in 2021 and 2022, but they were bottom feeders.

Heading into the off season they only have 3 rotational interior D linemen (John Jenkins, Bilal Nichols and Adam Butler) and one starting outside corner (Amik Robertson) as free agents on that side of the ball. The main pieces are still there (Spillane, Moehrig, Epps, Hobbs, Koonce etc).

Would I expect a drop off without Crosby? Yes. Would I expect them to completely nose dive? No.

I just think it's fraught with danger whenever a player chains himself to a coach in the way Crosby has done today. Players should have a voice, but they shouldn't be getting the final say.

Worth noting the last time the Raiders gave into player power was the mid 90s when they hired Joe Bugel. That worked out a treat.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Well you're not completely destroying it because Crosby ain't the only reason they're a top 10 unit. If he were the sole reason, they would have been a top 10 D back in 2021 and 2022, but they were bottom feeders.

Heading into the off season they only have 3 rotational interior D linemen (John Jenkins, Bilal Nichols and Adam Butler) and one starting outside corner (Amik Robertson) as free agents on that side of the ball. The main pieces are still there (Spillane, Moehrig, Epps, Hobbs, Koonce etc).

Would I expect a drop off without Crosby? Yes. Would I expect them to completely nose dive? No.

I just think it's fraught with danger whenever a player chains himself to a coach in the way Crosby has done today. Players should have a voice, but they shouldn't be getting the final say.

Worth noting the last time the Raiders gave into player power was the mid 90s when they hired Joe Bugel. That worked out a treat.

He plays every down and is relentless.

It would change the fabric of the defence.

Agree about the player chaining himself to a coach.

Seems AP has the locker rooms full support though.

Tough situation.

 

[Chewy316]

He plays every down and is relentless.

It would change the fabric of the defence.

Agree about the player chaining himself to a coach.

Seems AP has the locker rooms full support though.

Tough situation.

It would be bigger news if the interim coach didn't have the locker room support. They always do.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

It would be bigger news if the interim coach didn't have the locker room support. They always do.

This seems authentic though.

More than a ‘I want to keep my job so I’ll say he’s great’ kind of way.

 

[Chewy316]

This seems authentic though.

More than a ‘I want to keep my job so I’ll say he’s great’ kind of way.

Of course, he's well liked and players have gone out of their way to speak up in support of him. But it's also a business and the majority of these individuals will support whoever is leading them.

When you listen to Crosby on his podcast discuss all of this, he keeps referring to a new coach as "starting from scratch." I personally don't buy that if you got a guy like Harbaugh that you'd be starting from scratch. His first year at the 49ers he took them to the NFC championship game.

Any other coach west of AP and Harbaugh I'd understand.

 

[Chewy316]

Not going to be a second round of GM interviews as I understand the lay of the land. The expectation is that a GM will be hired prior to Leslie Frazier's interview with the Raiders in 2 days time, so make of that what you will.

It's lying season, but I've heard good things about both Dodds and Kelly. One person told me Dodds was the most impressive interview amongst the entire half dozen candidates. Whether that amounts to getting the job though is a completely different question altogether.

 

[Ashman23]

Dodds and Kelly working together would be a good result.

Harbaugh's meeting with the Chargers.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Kliff Kingsbury reportedly in line for the OC position.

 

[Chewy316]

Taken at the MLK rally today in Vegas.

Given Seymour's current involvement in the GM and HC search, this is about as unofficially official as it can possibly get to suggest they're running it back.

Kliff Kingsbury reportedly in line for the OC position.

Wouldn't be my first choice but I certainly don't mind it. If they went in that direction I'd be calling Arizona and trying to trade for Kyler.

 

[Chewy316]

Raiders interviewed Kris Richard and Leslie Frazier today. Both interviews were conducted in person. As both are diverse external candidates, the Raiders are now eligible to hire a head coach at any time from here on out.

All signs point to AP. GM down to Kelly and Dodds.

 

[manureid]

Raiders interviewed Kris Richard and Leslie Frazier today. Both interviews were conducted in person. As both are diverse external candidates, the Raiders are now eligible to hire a head coach at any time from here on out.

All signs point to AP. GM down to Kelly and Dodds.

Yeh AP seems locked in and Kelly seems a logical choice. OC will be a pretty crucial appointment. Not sold on Kliff.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Yeh AP seems locked in and Kelly seems a logical choice. OC will be a pretty crucial appointment. Not sold on Kliff.

But why?

 

[manureid]

View attachment 1887835
But why?

No socks. Cannot be trusted.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

No socks. Cannot be trusted.

Also leaves an open flame unaccompanied.

Strike him off.

 

[Chewy316]

Won't be surprised if in the next 24 hours everything is announced officially. Strong chance both Dodds and Kelly lead the front office together with Dodds in a VP of football operations type role.

 

[Chewy316]

Spoke with someone with a direct line to MD this morning.

Full expectation is it will be Champ and AP. There is a hold up as to why it has not been announced. I was told not to expect anything today (though the source hedged their bets saying "you never know").

As for the nature of the hold up, the source wouldn't say what it was, but told me it wasn't because MD is big fish hunting, nor is it a contractual issue.

I personally think he's taking his time to point out to Maxx that this is MD's team and he is the decision maker, but that's pure speculation on my behalf.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

Good hire by Raiders GM Maxx Crosby.