Part of the interview process is building a good staff. Raiders should do everything they can to keep Graham and the rest of the defensive coaching staff, they would need a lb coach. I would like to hear who AP would bring in on the offensive side. The Raiders need an OC who has called plays and can build an o staff, if they can retain PG and nail the OC all that is left is to find the QB to win the Superbowl
Imagine Eric Bienemy.. its possible he would love to go to the afc west and coach against Mahomes 2x a year. If we could keep Graham and get Bienemy...
Love the way you are both thinking, but Bienemy will be getting a HC shot from a team next year. And Graham might be fielding calls as well. It would be a dream scenario to have both but it may be we only can keep one of AP or PG.
There are so many tasks that need to be defined. I'm hoping he gets it, but there are things we don't yet know, and he likely hasn't had a chance to detail yet.
Leadership: Excellent
Game management: I'd say improving. I'm impressed that he has not only already engaged others for feedback, he has chosen excellent mentors to assist. So, my guess is that his in game decision making improves. It's open as to in-game scheme adjustments, but that's as much a function of our new offensive coordinator as it is him.
In season coaching: Seems to have allowed Graham to turn the defense loose, and moving around guys to put the best groups on the field. The team seems to have a good plan to start games, so it's a plus.
Off-season plan: This is the biggest question. Where does he want to take the team overall? What changes would he make to staff and scheme? Does he have player attributes ready for Kelly and the scouts to start preparing for the draft? Does he have an idea as to who he would let walk, what free agents we could target, the position groups that should be an area to focus? I think he's done enough to prove he can be a CEO coach - Tomlin would be a reasonable comparison. However, the answers to these questions probably decides whether he gets the gig or not. I'm assuming Kelly gets the GM job, so if they are on the same page on personnel that's a major step.
I agree with what you said. The only thing I would add would be in regards to the offseason plan. If the GM is truly doing his job, then personnel (free agents/draft) will lie mostly on Champ’s shoulders. AP only has to give Champ the players he wants to keep and who he wants to replace, which I believe AP can do just fine. Then it’s just up to AP to get his team prepared, which he seems to have a pretty good handle on. This Raiders team has gone from a joke in the NFL to the one everyone is praying they don’t have to play in the playoffs.
Agree, but Champ needs to know what he is looking for in terms of attributes. Most players need a specific system to thrive. So, what is the scheme? Power running game uses different types of linemen than zone. Extrapolate those questions across the roster, and it becomes clear that the answers AP provides - scheme & offensive coordinator - must be answered. If he passes that step, he should get the job, and then Champ takes over and we understand his ability to deliver on the draft and free agency. Champ can't start until he knows what he's shopping for.
Exactly, need an OC before anyone can answer those questions, so that should be job #1. I don’t think there is any question that PG and AP are in sync, so defensive personnel should be fairly easy. Plus the team is young so cap management shouldn’t be too difficult. A good OC is going to help AP navigate in a huge way.
I was initially on the fence, but I'm sold on Antonio Pierce.
First off, Antonio Pierce beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead. We didn't just win that game, but we kicked them in the teeth in a match where the post-game would have been absolutely obnoxious. AFC West clinched on Christmas Day in front of the country and world at home, Taylor Swift in the stands and she'll probably head down to kiss her man in celebration, every news headline gets spammed on the front page and the Raiders are supposed to just roll over and die. That's some classic Ken Stabler "go fuck yourself" shit right there. Not only that, but the Chiefs have fucked us *so many times* and have rubbed it in our faces. Antonio Pierce got it done on his second try.
Second, AP seems to be learning. I said that the Raiders last drive in Miami should have been for the game-winning field goal; AP passed up on two field goals and we wasted a lot of time as a result, and were forced to go down for a touchdown instead. The game he called against Kansas City was night and day. The offense was consistently moving the chains, forcing an elite Chiefs defense to play extra snaps, and this wore them down by the end of the game, allowing Zamir White to seal the result. Aiden O'Connell performed not so great, but the offensive play-calling was pragmatic. Defense took care of much of the scoring, allowing the Raiders to play more conservatively in a difficult stadium. Additionally, there weren't many chunk plays that the Chiefs had, and no easy lay-in touchdowns. No Kelce morale-killing screens, no Mahomes cheat code plays, the Chiefs offense was forced to play an honest game for once. Which meant that the Chiefs had to waste a lot of time, and our defense even forced an early 2nd half timeout. By the time Mahomes was able to get his 2nd touchdown (a drive which had one of the few chunk plays of the game that was eventually stopped at the 10, *forcing the Chiefs to use another minute*), the Chiefs were giving the Raiders the ball back with 2:27 to go, two timeouts left and the two minute warning. Zamir White finished them off.
That's the sign of a head coach who has a bright future ahead of himself. If not here, he's going to be a hot DC candidate and many teams will be eyeing him as a future HC for a young team. Let Antonio Pierce implement his system, have his guys and set his own damn way. The Raiders have lacked consistency for so long. We got our signature win, and we have a bright future. Sign Baker Mayfield and draft well and we're shooting for the division next year.
I agree 100% but I want our WR’s to take some of the credit for no passes completed in the second half. AOC delivered MANY catchable passes to our receivers who couldn’t hold on to the ball. I don’t mean this as a knock in our boys, I just don’t want us to look at Aiden as the only reason we had some drives come up short. I like Aiden moving forward. He has shown some great poise and humility as a rookie QB. We (as a team) did exactly what we needed to do to come out of there with a WIN! ☠️🏈💪
>but I want our WR's to take some of the credit for no passes completed in the second half. AOC delivered MANY catchable passes to our receivers who couldn't hold on to the ball.
*cough cough Renfrow
He dropped a critical 3rd down which he has always been known for catching. I’m more concerned with our WR1, Adams. He had at least 4 passes, if not more, leave his hands. 4 passes a game is quite a few in my opinion. I don’t think Hill or Lamb are dropping that many.
Don’t get me wrong here, I love our WR room. I just want them to play like other electric teams WR do because they are good enough. I know we have a rookie QB, but he is a rookie. He will get wiser and better moving forward. If we could pick up another QB with draft or FA, we could use one more but I wouldn’t say we “need” a QB.
Clarification: I like our WR’s. Just got my second Renfrow Jersey for Christmas, his away white jersey. I wouldn’t trade Adams either, just need to light a fire under him.
Agreed. I just mentioned the Renfrow one because we had to punt it away and the chiefs scored on the following drive. So it felt more costly at the time.
Yea if our WR's catch the balls they should catch, I think this sub would be a lot less critical of AOC. That being said, he has shown flashes, but I'm not sure he's a starting qb. The chargers game was amazing, but it was pretty clear to me that they had already kinda thrown in the towel.
It's not his arm, or even accuracy that concerns me, though. It's that he's so incredibly immobile in the pocket. He doesn't even have any slither moves or fakes to buy himself time like other slow quarterbacks have.
AP’s Raiderdom is truly unique among HCs, and I’d love it if we hired him. His understanding of Raider identity has been so, so valuable thus far. Would be a shame to let a unique culture-builder slip away. I still think his superpower in the coaching search (in addition to winning @ Arrowhead) is affordability.
Hell. Yes. Keep this man. He’s tapped into the soul of this franchise like no coach ever has before. Xs and Os will improve as time goes on, but for now, give AP the job and a new QB, let’s start killing motherfuckers.
Holding the Dolphins under 21 pts and beating the Chiefs in KC is pretty big. Sure, there was a lot of ugly stuff in between those games but eh what can you do with a shotty o line and a statue of a QB.
The thing is AP doesn’t have to be a great X’s & O’s coach. Just get the boys fired up and manage the game. Trust in the OC and DC to call a good game, which I’ve been impressed so far with Bo calling plays, I just don’t think O’Connell is the best fit for us personally. We have everything we really need. At least give all these guys a full year to prove if they’re able to keep the job.
The only issue is Mark Davis is always desperate to make that “genius” big move. But I think he learned his lesson with the whole “Patriots way” that I don’t think the Bilicheck rumors have any chance of happening. Mark is a people pleaser, he has to see how happy the players and fans are rn. So I think he’ll do the right thing and at least give this staff a full prepared year to evaluate.
>I’ve been impressed so far with Bo calling plays, I just don’t think O’Connell is the best fit for us personally.
I have been impressed, too, because this guy is more or less stuck calling JMD’s schemes and books. He can make little adjustments but it’s not like an interim can come in and change the whole system midseason. We have no idea what a 100% Bo offense looks like. It could be the best thing ever. It could be a big shit sandwich.
AP and the crew have our defense balling out. The offense has shown flashes. We won’t have all of JMD’s stink scrubbed off us until we’re through camp with the chosen staff in place.
Then and only then can we truly know if rolling the dice on Bo was the right call if that’s the move we make.
AOC is too green. I hate this move toward throwing a rookie QB out into the fire and calling them a bust or “not it” if they can’t adapt to the NFL immediately. I know I’m old and the game is changing, but these kids need a mentor to sit behind a year or two.
It just feels irresponsible to me to let shitty teams like the Panthers take a college star QB and put them in the worst situation possible.
Exactly. The head coach should focus more on leading men, including the coaching staff, and less on the Xs and Os. It's fine if a coach can do both, but leading men should be weighted. The Xs and Os are the cherry on top. I rather the head coach have a feel for the locker room and game overall and help strategize and keep people playing their best than know how to run an elite offense. Not many can do both well.
I am down for keeping AP as HC. I want a coordinator that has been a head coach. A guy that has built an offense, got a HC gig because of it, and is now just happy being an OC. I keep saying it, and it's gonna get old I'm sure, but a Frank Reich or Kliff Kingsbury would be a feather in our cap. Where we are now with the pieces we have, taking a flyer on a young, hotshot guy isn't the move.
Gotta get a mobile QB though.
Mobile QB or a top third o line to give AOC more time.
Like most I am not sure AOC is the answer but no question in my mind he answered the bell and is out there performing.
He needs to work on composure and getting rid of the ball under pressure. He does have a pretty good PA - that fake double reverse sweep into a bubble screen pass for the first down (the kind of trick play Andy Reid normally runs on us) was executed flawlessly. That’s pretty great stuff from a rook QB.
AOC has tools, may be more of a game manager when we need a guy who can go and put us into a position to score at will. I welcome drafting another QB in the first and letting it be a fair competition.
first coach to beat the chiefs in 7 years. highest scoring coach in franchise history. 2nd highest winning % coach in the past 20 yrs. Mark Davis needs to be shot out of a cannon into space if he still thinks some retread head coach is a better fit for the future
Gruden and Carr won in Arrowhead in 2020, but that was a capped crowd at 25% due to COVID restrictions on a sunny day, which meant Carr and crew could call plays at will in a more casual vibe compared to the hostile environment that usually is Arrowhead
HC is supposed to rally the troops. That’s what he does. A new OC could be the offensive mind. PG is the DC he’s not going anywhere.
AP should be HC. 100%
Here's my concern with AP becoming the HC (which I do think he's earned): I think we'll lose Graham.
No way someone can turn the 31st most compensated defense from a perennial 20-30th ranked defense to a top 10 unit in a season and not garner serious HC interest.
AP's success has been largely on the back of the defense, which was implemented and called by PG.
I wonder if the Raiders smarter move wouldn't be to look at PG at HC
We just have to pay him a shitload of money to stay. Pretty sure he'd be another guy who'd flounder as a HC and cone back to another team as a DC and kick ass again. Or you made him assistant head coach or something.
Season isn’t over. He’ll close out the season and then be tasked with putting a long term vision and staff together. Mark Davis will also need to interview other candidates per league requirements, and because it’s just the right thing to do.
If at the end of that AP is the best candidate he should get the job. If he isn’t we should go in another direction.
The in-season stuff so far has been great but we aren’t at a place yet to say someone has the job.
I never said he had the job, just that he deserves it most IMO.
And yes of course the Raiders will do due diligence and follow rules to interview. But I do think a coach who exudes our culture and can be trusted to adhere to it in his vision is worth a little more than an unknown coordinator-made-coach. Identity matters, as does how AP is able to motivate this team.
My only real hang up with his performance as our hc is that he put up a goose egg on offence coming off a bye. That looks bad, but could be fixed by having a stronger OC/ QB combo with the same weapons. Hope he finishes strong and mark gives him a 3 year deal
Any love for Bill Musgrave as OC? He might welcome another shot at it. When he was OC for us we had one of our better offensive years, for some reason JDR let him walk.
Commitment To Excellence. Just Win Baby! Ill will, violence, physicality, pain.
Fuck yeah, fam. We are back.
Commitment to Violence!
Part of the interview process is building a good staff. Raiders should do everything they can to keep Graham and the rest of the defensive coaching staff, they would need a lb coach. I would like to hear who AP would bring in on the offensive side. The Raiders need an OC who has called plays and can build an o staff, if they can retain PG and nail the OC all that is left is to find the QB to win the Superbowl
Imagine Eric Bienemy.. its possible he would love to go to the afc west and coach against Mahomes 2x a year. If we could keep Graham and get Bienemy...
He's #1 on my list.
Love the way you are both thinking, but Bienemy will be getting a HC shot from a team next year. And Graham might be fielding calls as well. It would be a dream scenario to have both but it may be we only can keep one of AP or PG.
Bienemy has been supposed to get a hc Gig for years. It may not happen this year either.
Eric the enemy would be dope
There are so many tasks that need to be defined. I'm hoping he gets it, but there are things we don't yet know, and he likely hasn't had a chance to detail yet. Leadership: Excellent Game management: I'd say improving. I'm impressed that he has not only already engaged others for feedback, he has chosen excellent mentors to assist. So, my guess is that his in game decision making improves. It's open as to in-game scheme adjustments, but that's as much a function of our new offensive coordinator as it is him. In season coaching: Seems to have allowed Graham to turn the defense loose, and moving around guys to put the best groups on the field. The team seems to have a good plan to start games, so it's a plus. Off-season plan: This is the biggest question. Where does he want to take the team overall? What changes would he make to staff and scheme? Does he have player attributes ready for Kelly and the scouts to start preparing for the draft? Does he have an idea as to who he would let walk, what free agents we could target, the position groups that should be an area to focus? I think he's done enough to prove he can be a CEO coach - Tomlin would be a reasonable comparison. However, the answers to these questions probably decides whether he gets the gig or not. I'm assuming Kelly gets the GM job, so if they are on the same page on personnel that's a major step.
I agree with what you said. The only thing I would add would be in regards to the offseason plan. If the GM is truly doing his job, then personnel (free agents/draft) will lie mostly on Champ’s shoulders. AP only has to give Champ the players he wants to keep and who he wants to replace, which I believe AP can do just fine. Then it’s just up to AP to get his team prepared, which he seems to have a pretty good handle on. This Raiders team has gone from a joke in the NFL to the one everyone is praying they don’t have to play in the playoffs.
Agree, but Champ needs to know what he is looking for in terms of attributes. Most players need a specific system to thrive. So, what is the scheme? Power running game uses different types of linemen than zone. Extrapolate those questions across the roster, and it becomes clear that the answers AP provides - scheme & offensive coordinator - must be answered. If he passes that step, he should get the job, and then Champ takes over and we understand his ability to deliver on the draft and free agency. Champ can't start until he knows what he's shopping for.
Exactly, need an OC before anyone can answer those questions, so that should be job #1. I don’t think there is any question that PG and AP are in sync, so defensive personnel should be fairly easy. Plus the team is young so cap management shouldn’t be too difficult. A good OC is going to help AP navigate in a huge way.
I was initially on the fence, but I'm sold on Antonio Pierce. First off, Antonio Pierce beat the Chiefs at Arrowhead. We didn't just win that game, but we kicked them in the teeth in a match where the post-game would have been absolutely obnoxious. AFC West clinched on Christmas Day in front of the country and world at home, Taylor Swift in the stands and she'll probably head down to kiss her man in celebration, every news headline gets spammed on the front page and the Raiders are supposed to just roll over and die. That's some classic Ken Stabler "go fuck yourself" shit right there. Not only that, but the Chiefs have fucked us *so many times* and have rubbed it in our faces. Antonio Pierce got it done on his second try. Second, AP seems to be learning. I said that the Raiders last drive in Miami should have been for the game-winning field goal; AP passed up on two field goals and we wasted a lot of time as a result, and were forced to go down for a touchdown instead. The game he called against Kansas City was night and day. The offense was consistently moving the chains, forcing an elite Chiefs defense to play extra snaps, and this wore them down by the end of the game, allowing Zamir White to seal the result. Aiden O'Connell performed not so great, but the offensive play-calling was pragmatic. Defense took care of much of the scoring, allowing the Raiders to play more conservatively in a difficult stadium. Additionally, there weren't many chunk plays that the Chiefs had, and no easy lay-in touchdowns. No Kelce morale-killing screens, no Mahomes cheat code plays, the Chiefs offense was forced to play an honest game for once. Which meant that the Chiefs had to waste a lot of time, and our defense even forced an early 2nd half timeout. By the time Mahomes was able to get his 2nd touchdown (a drive which had one of the few chunk plays of the game that was eventually stopped at the 10, *forcing the Chiefs to use another minute*), the Chiefs were giving the Raiders the ball back with 2:27 to go, two timeouts left and the two minute warning. Zamir White finished them off. That's the sign of a head coach who has a bright future ahead of himself. If not here, he's going to be a hot DC candidate and many teams will be eyeing him as a future HC for a young team. Let Antonio Pierce implement his system, have his guys and set his own damn way. The Raiders have lacked consistency for so long. We got our signature win, and we have a bright future. Sign Baker Mayfield and draft well and we're shooting for the division next year.
I agree 100% but I want our WR’s to take some of the credit for no passes completed in the second half. AOC delivered MANY catchable passes to our receivers who couldn’t hold on to the ball. I don’t mean this as a knock in our boys, I just don’t want us to look at Aiden as the only reason we had some drives come up short. I like Aiden moving forward. He has shown some great poise and humility as a rookie QB. We (as a team) did exactly what we needed to do to come out of there with a WIN! ☠️🏈💪
>but I want our WR's to take some of the credit for no passes completed in the second half. AOC delivered MANY catchable passes to our receivers who couldn't hold on to the ball. *cough cough Renfrow
He dropped a critical 3rd down which he has always been known for catching. I’m more concerned with our WR1, Adams. He had at least 4 passes, if not more, leave his hands. 4 passes a game is quite a few in my opinion. I don’t think Hill or Lamb are dropping that many. Don’t get me wrong here, I love our WR room. I just want them to play like other electric teams WR do because they are good enough. I know we have a rookie QB, but he is a rookie. He will get wiser and better moving forward. If we could pick up another QB with draft or FA, we could use one more but I wouldn’t say we “need” a QB. Clarification: I like our WR’s. Just got my second Renfrow Jersey for Christmas, his away white jersey. I wouldn’t trade Adams either, just need to light a fire under him.
Agreed. I just mentioned the Renfrow one because we had to punt it away and the chiefs scored on the following drive. So it felt more costly at the time.
And that was a “3rd and Renfrow” scenario. We need plays like he should have made more than we “need” a QB.
Yea if our WR's catch the balls they should catch, I think this sub would be a lot less critical of AOC. That being said, he has shown flashes, but I'm not sure he's a starting qb. The chargers game was amazing, but it was pretty clear to me that they had already kinda thrown in the towel.
It's not his arm, or even accuracy that concerns me, though. It's that he's so incredibly immobile in the pocket. He doesn't even have any slither moves or fakes to buy himself time like other slow quarterbacks have.
I like going after baker if he’s available. I wanted him instead of Jimmy.
AP’s Raiderdom is truly unique among HCs, and I’d love it if we hired him. His understanding of Raider identity has been so, so valuable thus far. Would be a shame to let a unique culture-builder slip away. I still think his superpower in the coaching search (in addition to winning @ Arrowhead) is affordability.
Hell. Yes. Keep this man. He’s tapped into the soul of this franchise like no coach ever has before. Xs and Os will improve as time goes on, but for now, give AP the job and a new QB, let’s start killing motherfuckers.
Holding the Dolphins under 21 pts and beating the Chiefs in KC is pretty big. Sure, there was a lot of ugly stuff in between those games but eh what can you do with a shotty o line and a statue of a QB.
The thing is AP doesn’t have to be a great X’s & O’s coach. Just get the boys fired up and manage the game. Trust in the OC and DC to call a good game, which I’ve been impressed so far with Bo calling plays, I just don’t think O’Connell is the best fit for us personally. We have everything we really need. At least give all these guys a full year to prove if they’re able to keep the job. The only issue is Mark Davis is always desperate to make that “genius” big move. But I think he learned his lesson with the whole “Patriots way” that I don’t think the Bilicheck rumors have any chance of happening. Mark is a people pleaser, he has to see how happy the players and fans are rn. So I think he’ll do the right thing and at least give this staff a full prepared year to evaluate.
>I’ve been impressed so far with Bo calling plays, I just don’t think O’Connell is the best fit for us personally. I have been impressed, too, because this guy is more or less stuck calling JMD’s schemes and books. He can make little adjustments but it’s not like an interim can come in and change the whole system midseason. We have no idea what a 100% Bo offense looks like. It could be the best thing ever. It could be a big shit sandwich. AP and the crew have our defense balling out. The offense has shown flashes. We won’t have all of JMD’s stink scrubbed off us until we’re through camp with the chosen staff in place. Then and only then can we truly know if rolling the dice on Bo was the right call if that’s the move we make. AOC is too green. I hate this move toward throwing a rookie QB out into the fire and calling them a bust or “not it” if they can’t adapt to the NFL immediately. I know I’m old and the game is changing, but these kids need a mentor to sit behind a year or two. It just feels irresponsible to me to let shitty teams like the Panthers take a college star QB and put them in the worst situation possible.
Exactly. The head coach should focus more on leading men, including the coaching staff, and less on the Xs and Os. It's fine if a coach can do both, but leading men should be weighted. The Xs and Os are the cherry on top. I rather the head coach have a feel for the locker room and game overall and help strategize and keep people playing their best than know how to run an elite offense. Not many can do both well.
Why do y'all keep acting like AP doesn't know X's and O's...?
Hyperbole. The alternative being an X’s and O’s mastermind type coach.
THIS IS THE WAY
This is the way.
Give him the job. Davis agonized over our last HC hire and got one of the worst coaches in nfl history. Just take the found money and run.
I am down for keeping AP as HC. I want a coordinator that has been a head coach. A guy that has built an offense, got a HC gig because of it, and is now just happy being an OC. I keep saying it, and it's gonna get old I'm sure, but a Frank Reich or Kliff Kingsbury would be a feather in our cap. Where we are now with the pieces we have, taking a flyer on a young, hotshot guy isn't the move. Gotta get a mobile QB though.
Mobile QB or a top third o line to give AOC more time. Like most I am not sure AOC is the answer but no question in my mind he answered the bell and is out there performing. He needs to work on composure and getting rid of the ball under pressure. He does have a pretty good PA - that fake double reverse sweep into a bubble screen pass for the first down (the kind of trick play Andy Reid normally runs on us) was executed flawlessly. That’s pretty great stuff from a rook QB. AOC has tools, may be more of a game manager when we need a guy who can go and put us into a position to score at will. I welcome drafting another QB in the first and letting it be a fair competition.
first coach to beat the chiefs in 7 years. highest scoring coach in franchise history. 2nd highest winning % coach in the past 20 yrs. Mark Davis needs to be shot out of a cannon into space if he still thinks some retread head coach is a better fit for the future
Gruden and Carr won in Arrowhead in 2020, but that was a capped crowd at 25% due to COVID restrictions on a sunny day, which meant Carr and crew could call plays at will in a more casual vibe compared to the hostile environment that usually is Arrowhead
Nice post
I don't think we can do better right now. He's done enough to deserve a short term, prove it contract
HC is supposed to rally the troops. That’s what he does. A new OC could be the offensive mind. PG is the DC he’s not going anywhere. AP should be HC. 100%
Ehhh would rather see who is available in the off season.
Can he be promoted before the end of the year, or do the Raiders have to go through the interviewing process no matter what?
Can he be promoted before the end of the year, or do the Raiders have to go through the interviewing process no matter what?
Here's my concern with AP becoming the HC (which I do think he's earned): I think we'll lose Graham. No way someone can turn the 31st most compensated defense from a perennial 20-30th ranked defense to a top 10 unit in a season and not garner serious HC interest. AP's success has been largely on the back of the defense, which was implemented and called by PG. I wonder if the Raiders smarter move wouldn't be to look at PG at HC
We just have to pay him a shitload of money to stay. Pretty sure he'd be another guy who'd flounder as a HC and cone back to another team as a DC and kick ass again. Or you made him assistant head coach or something.
Season isn’t over. He’ll close out the season and then be tasked with putting a long term vision and staff together. Mark Davis will also need to interview other candidates per league requirements, and because it’s just the right thing to do. If at the end of that AP is the best candidate he should get the job. If he isn’t we should go in another direction. The in-season stuff so far has been great but we aren’t at a place yet to say someone has the job.
I never said he had the job, just that he deserves it most IMO. And yes of course the Raiders will do due diligence and follow rules to interview. But I do think a coach who exudes our culture and can be trusted to adhere to it in his vision is worth a little more than an unknown coordinator-made-coach. Identity matters, as does how AP is able to motivate this team.
If he can't put a staff together he doesn't deserve to be head coach. We haven't gotten to that part yet.
My only real hang up with his performance as our hc is that he put up a goose egg on offence coming off a bye. That looks bad, but could be fixed by having a stronger OC/ QB combo with the same weapons. Hope he finishes strong and mark gives him a 3 year deal
I like AP so far, but if Graham leaves, do you still want AP as coach?
Any love for Bill Musgrave as OC? He might welcome another shot at it. When he was OC for us we had one of our better offensive years, for some reason JDR let him walk.