Did Las Vegas Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels really throw his rookie quarterback under the bus after Sunday’s loss? Hm, either that or we’re reading too much into it.
The Raiders now sit at 1-3, and while not an abysmal record in itself considering it’s early in the season, there’s more to it. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Raiders fan that doesn’t feel like the wheels are quickly coming off. Ahead of Sunday’s action, all of the buzz surrounding the Silver and Black had to do with the quarterback dilemma. With Jimmy Garoppolo out, it would be down to legendary journeyman Brian Hoyer or rookie Aidan O’Connell; McDaniels went with the latter.
The Raiders are falling off real fast…
In turn, O’Connell played tough and showed heart, but it just wasn’t enough. Some costly turnovers proved to be too much in the end. Still, one quick sidebar: O’Connell was the first Raiders quarterback to score a rushing touchdown in their pro debut (h/t Scott Gulbransen), so that’s a positive note. Unfortunately, McDaniels didn’t seem too impressed after the game. A red zone interception and three fumbles left a lot to be desired for the second-year head coach.
“Playing quarterback in our league starts with taking care of the football.”
While McDaniels is technically right, the timing of it is highly suspect. O’Connell had far from a perfect outing, but considering how poor the offensive line looked, he hung in there. Let’s not overlook the fact that No. 4 was sacked seven times. On top of that, McDaniels had a rough display of play-calling in this one—maybe some accountability instead of arrogantly throwing O’Connell under the bus?
It looks like McDaniels can’t wait until Garoppolo comes back this week.
Regardless, a loss comes down to the team as a whole. O’Connell talk aside, the offensive line has steadily regressed this season, and it was very evident on Sunday. Former Raider Khalil Mack himself had a career day against his former team—one of the biggest disruptors that Brandon Staley threw at O’Connell. As expected, Josh McDaniels had no answer for No. 52.
This is going to be a long week, indeed.
A 32-year-old Khalil Mack, who had 0 sacks coming into the game, cooked your O-line.
Oh, and no Joey Bosa or Derwin James today—but that was the best you could do out there?
How is this man an NFL head coach?pic.twitter.com/ZL9TYKedMB
— RaiderRamble.com™ (@TheRaiderRamble) October 2, 2023
*Top Photo: Getty Images
These New England Raiders stink. Total clown show, I will die a Raider fan but this New England experiment is a dumpster fire. Wake up Mark Davis, you’re sleeping with the enemy. Your old man would take you to the wood shed if he were alive.
Coach didn’t just throw Aidan under the bus he intentionally threw the entire team under the bus forcing us to lose with bad play calling and bad coaching. He wanted this to happen.
My guess is it was out of love for Jimmy “perfect hair”.
I mean really…Jimmy literally has 3 very terrible games looking worse than a rookie and more like a clown that has lost his way AND HE NEVER SAID A WORD ABOUT IT.
The rookie starts and looks like a rookie and he throws him under the bus?? What lind of sheet is that??
Its time to fire the clown parade of Jimmy perfect hair and his entourage.
I can’t stand McDaniels and hope he gets fired soon. He and Ziegler inherited a gritty playoff team that persevered through adversity and tragedy–and made it markedly worse in year one and even worse in year two.
But he didn’t throw the kid under the bus. If you watch the whole interview, he praised O’Connell several times, said he hung in there and got better as the game went along. Then he got asked about the turnovers and said what he said.
McDaniels is not a leader. We see now that the Patriots’ success was ninety percent Brady and ten percent Belichick, zero percent McDaniels.
This team isn’t bad because of what he says in interviews. It’s what he does the rest of the time.
I say trade Adams, Crosby, Renfrow and Jimmy G all for draft picks in 24 and 25. At the end of the this year I blow out all the coaches and GM. Look in the college ranks and start over.
Did the same thing in Mile High but hey, he’s championship playcaller with several rings, Davis simply couldn’t resist. This isnt really all on McDooDoo though, 9 coaches since 2007 and horrible draft picks have cast this franchise into the abyss years before Vegas. So let’s do ANOTHER regime change, it’s what we do!
Terrible play selection is the more appropriate and correct blame. We see continuous glimpses of the lack of character and the lack of leadership in Mcdaniels as a person much less a coach getting paid 10 million a year. 35% win rate as a head coach, destroying a second team in as many years, and refusing to adjust “his scheme.” Smarten up Raider Nation, mark davis is shoveling this bs on you to spend your money on.