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Interim head coach Antonio Pierce made a strong case that he deserves the full-time Las Vegas Raiders job after beating the Los Angeles Chargers 63-21 in Week 15. It was the most dominant win the team has had in a long time and was actually the franchise record for most points scored in a game.
However, not everybody is sold on the idea of him getting the permanent position quite yet. Former Raiders Pro Bowl fullback Marcel Reece, who was an advisor to owner Mark Davis from 2020 to 2022, still wants to see more from Pierce before he’s ready to endorse him for the job.
“I don’t know yet if I’m being honest,” Reece said when asked if Pierce has earned the full-time head coaching job on the December 15 episode of “Up & Adams.” “When you get a job at an interim position in the middle of the season, it’s really hard to evaluate someone. You’re not playing with your players. You’re not even necessarily playing with your coaching staff and you’re just working with what you have.”
Reece was working from the Raiders as recently as last season so he should have some familiarity with Pierce. The team has three games left in the season and a big win against a Chargers team that just fired its head coach isn’t the most impressive win. Now, a win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 16 would be a huge statement for Pierce.
What Does Antonio Pierce Need to Do to Get Full-Time Job?
With the huge win over the Chargers, it’s easy to forget that the Raiders had a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14. However, Mark Davis is going to look at the full picture when he makes his decision. Antonio Pierce has gone 3-3 as the interim head coach and the team needs a miracle to get into the playoffs.
Regardless, Pierce is going to have a chance to get the full-time job but he still has more to prove. The three teams the Raiders beat under Pierce have a combined record of 15-27. The team has yet to beat a team with a winning record under the coach. The Raiders play the Chiefs, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts to close out the season. All three teams are still in the playoff hunt. Winning at least two of those games would show Davis that Pierce can win against the top teams in the NFL and would seriously help his chances of being the head coach next season.
Mark Davis Talks Evaluation of Antonio Pierce
Mark Davis is trying to keep an open mind throughout the process of finding his next head coach. Deciding to hire Josh McDaniels just a year ago turned out to be a disaster. He’s been impressed with what he’s seen from Pierce but he’s still trying to be patient in his evaluation.
“You know, I’m taking everything week to week and seeing how they rise to the occasion,” Davis told The Athletic’s Tashan Reed in a December 13 interview. “I think the team has bought into Antonio. They respect him, and I think they want to play for him. (Defensive coordinator) Patrick (Graham) is doing a good job on the defensive side of the ball right now. So, we’ll see. It’s just hard to say in the middle of this, “What is the goal? What am I looking for?” Every day I learn something new about Antonio, but also Champ [Kelly] as well.”
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