In the wake of the Raiders’ embarrassing 36-22 loss to the previously winless Panthers, a team that had just benched its starting quarterback and had lost 17 of 19 games heading into Week 3, coach Antonio Pierce seemed void of answers. He was surprised by the lack of effort from his group, which has not always excelled but had, at least, played hard for him in every outing since he got the job on an interim basis 11 months ago.
Pierce had implored the home crowd in Las Vegas to show up and be loud for a game in which the Raiders were heavy favorites, coming off their energizing Week 2 win over the Ravens. The fans showed, and they were loud. But they watched the Raiders meekly give up 26 unanswered points and allow 36-year-old journeyman quarterback Andy Dalton to slice them up for 319 yards passing and three touchdowns.
What was most distressing for Pierce was not the way the team folded, but the way certain players—ones he did not identify—folded. And he offered them a warning.
“They didn’t (show up),” Pierce said in his postgame presser. “I think as the game went on, I don’t think it was the team, but I think there were definitely some individuals who made business decisions. We’ll make business decisions going forward as well.”
Raiders Could Trade, Release or Bench Disappointing Players
That sounds ominous, but it’s hard to say what, exactly, Pierce meant. The Raiders can shake up the roster between now and the November NFL trade deadline, though there do not appear to be any deals that are pending—even as rumors swirl around star receiver Davante Adams, who had four catches for 40 yards on nine targets.
The Raiders could make moves around the periphery, too, cutting players and bringing up hungrier guys from the practice squad. The easiest move for Pierce would be to simply bench players who he felt underwhelmed against Carolina.
That could start with the struggling secondary, where the Raiders took the risk of trusting youngsters Jack Jones and Jakorian Bennett after uneven 2023 performances. Or it could be moving on from Tyree Wilson, who continues to disappoint after having been the first-round pick in 2023.
It could mean looking more earnestly for a replacement for Zamir White, who has not backed up his strong finish to last season after getting the chance to be the starter here in 2024. White played 14 snaps against Carolina.
Antonio Pierce: ‘We Got Our A** Whooped’
It’s only Week 3, but there is still reason to be concerned about the Raiders and their outlook here in 2024. The defense was supposed to be the strength, but allowed 36 points to Andy Dalton does not inspire confidence. Pierce, for one, seemed confused by it all.
He promised tough coaching in the week to come, before the Raiders face the Browns next Sunday.
“We got our a** whooped,” Pierce said. “We got to put pads on, get back on the sled. The same group that all came back, same technique, same coaches, it’s not a different scheme. Obviously, we are going to have to coach them better and be some hard-a**es on the guys, guys are gonna have to take some tough coaching.
“Because that just, we didn’t see that coming.”
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Raiders’ Antonio Pierce Issues Ominous Warning to Players After Rout