Antonio Pierce sends a message to the rest of the AFC West about the Raiders in 2024 and beyond
Antonio Pierce was the right guy for the job, coaching the Las Vegas Raiders, and we saw that when he took over as the interim head coach in Week 9. The team's morale changed, and they started competing at a different level. Not to mention, he let Patrick Graham, the defensive coordinator, do things the […]
Antonio Pierce was the right guy for the job, coaching the Las Vegas Raiders, and we saw that when he took over as the interim head coach in Week 9. The team's morale changed, and they started competing at a different level. Not to mention, he let Patrick Graham, the defensive coordinator, do things the way he wanted them done. The defense then turned into a top-five unit.
The offense still had its struggles, but it's safe to say that it can't get worse. The Raiders have brought in several staff members to get that personnel there, where it needs to be. Pierce has his guys in now, so he is running the show now. The Raiders barely missed out on the playoff last season, as they went into Week 16 with a legit shot to make it.
Now, everything is different than the way it started. They have the main core group of guys they have, besides maybe Josh Jacobs, but we don't know if he will be back yet. But, most of all, they are starting the season with Antonio Pierce. This locker room is going to be filled up every single game. And what's even better is that Pierce is already sending a message to the rest of the AFC West. Pierce was told that he would have his hands full with the head coaches in the AFC West.
"No, I think it's the other way around," Pierce said on Sirius XM Radio. "They have their work cut out for me and the Raiders. I can only go off of my nine games, right? We were 3-1 in the division. The way we played, I think it's very convincing in those games, we will be a problem. I'm not looking at everyone else; they will have to start looking at the Raiders. That's the approach we are taking.
"I get it. We have to earn it. AP [Antonio Pierce] is just talking smack. No, we are not. We are going to work. We are going to work this whole offseason. Get the best staff we can to put together. We are going to believe. We have one goal, and that is to win the division. We know where it goes through, but it doesn't have to go through the team in red. We can make it to where it goes through silver and black. That's going to be our goal."
The Raiders truly believe that they can compete in the division. They did tie the Kansas City Chiefs for second in the AFC West in terms of division record at 4-2. So, they can compete, and the huge Christmas Day win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium only proves that. They won without completing a pass after the first quarter.
The Raiders are coming, and Antonio Pierce wants everyone to know they are not the same team that has been pushed around for the better half of the last two decades.
Antonio Pierce to give veteran coach more prominent role on Raiders’ staff
Now the Raiders must build out their staff.
