By signing Josh McDaniels, the Raiders made a big bet in Las Vegas. Not even two years later, things are down and nothing is going well with their head coach, who is the first out the door this NFL season.
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At least McDaniels can take solace in the fact that he’s not the only one leaving casino town empty-handed. He will be able to try to regain his share elsewhere, in the company of general manager Dave Ziegler, who is also being kicked off the bigs’ table.
This tandem straight from the Patriots is the latest example of the abject failure of successful employees of this organization failing once promoted elsewhere.
In Las Vegas they say that in the end the casino always wins. The Raiders are clearly not in that position, as they will pay McDaniels for four more of the six years of his contract signed in 2022.
We saw a better return on investment than a 9-16 record and an offense that fell to 30th in scoring at 15.8 points per game. Still, it was his offensive genius that was the main attraction on his resume.
Too many disasters
There were rare moments of celebration between Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler, who also lost his job. Getty Images via AFP
When McDaniels and Ziegler took over, the Raiders had just completed a 10-7 season in 2021 and made the playoffs.
They took aggressive risks by handing out big contracts to Davante Adams, Chandler Jones and other players who would take them to the next level. However, one could believe that this year 2021 was a mirage. Despite their success, the Raiders had allowed 65 more points than they scored. The moment was perhaps more conducive to continuing the rebuilding than to putting a stop to the process by targeting Blackjack.
The first season of the McDaniel era last fall was marked by a series of disasters.
In Week 2, the Raiders blew a 20-point lead against the Cardinals, the largest lead in the history of the once-proud franchise.
In Week 8, against the Saints, the offense was shut down and never got past midfield.
In Week 10, the Raiders lost face to the Colts, who had just made a fool of themselves by hiring Jeff Saturday, a driver with no experience whatsoever.
In Week 14, a 13-point fourth-quarter lead melted away against the Rams, who two days earlier had, out of desperation, traded for quarterback Baker Mayfield, who knew nothing about the rules of the game.
Here are some failures that left a bitter taste in the mouths of overindulgent owner Mark Davis.
And what comes next?
The last two weeks have seen the Raiders look bad as they were humiliated by the Bears, whose quarterback Tyson Bagent became the first major league center since 1950 to win his NFL baptism. Then Jimmy Garoppolo had another poor performance against the Lions with his ninth interception.
The Raiders felt the need to make a strong move. Former linebacker Antonio Pierce will step in in the meantime, and while his coaching experience is limited, he will look to whip out players with poor morale.
It’s clear that McDaniels is not a good man to lead in his second major fiasco as a head coach after the one with the Broncos in 2009-2010.
However, the Raiders have some serious question to consider because McDaniels was their 12th coach since 2002. None of them, as Jon Gruden lasted more than four seasons from 1998 to 2001.
In the long term, will this organization be perceived as an oasis where the players always rule in the end? The question arises when management is a real revolving door. Regardless of which coach has been in office for years, the die appears to have been cast in Vegas.
MY PREDICTION FOR THURSDAY: Titans 16 Steelers 20
THE NFL IN BRIEF…
Good shots
Chase Young moves from Commanders to 49ers. Getty Images via AFP
The trade deadline ended Tuesday and unless the earth shook the NFL planet, some gestures deserve recognition. The 49ers have secured the services of defensive end Chase Young, who will reunite with former Ohio State teammate Nick Bosa. Together the two had ensured rain and sunshine. The Niners are betting their recent passing woes will be solved with more pressure. The Bills, meanwhile, have a good cornerback in Rasul Douglas, who will help offset the loss of Tre’Davious White. For the Commanders, the departures of Chase Young and Montez Sweat herald a rebuild.
What’s next for the Vikings?
Jaren Hall will take over from Kirk Cousins for the time being. Getty Images via AFP
With Kirk Cousins’ season with the Vikings now over, they have traded with the Cardinals to sign quarterback Joshua Dobbs. It’s still rookie Jaren Hall who will start Sunday, but Dobbs becomes an interesting insurance policy to acquire at a low price (6th-round pick). Cousins is 35 and will become a free agent in March, but head coach Kevin O’Connell has made it clear. He would like to bring him back into the team next season.
More riots in Chicago
It’s a difficult season for Bears fans. Getty Images via AFP
The Bears’ turbulent season continues. At the beginning of the season, defensive coordinator Alan Williams resigned due to a flood of all kinds of rumors about his personal behavior. According to The Athletic, running backs coach David Walker was fired Tuesday for his “workplace conduct.” Walker was reportedly reprimanded by the team’s human resources department earlier this season, and a second incident this week led to his departure. What a strange time of year in Chicago!