A wise person once said, “When a child gets behind the wheel of a car and runs into a tree, you don’t blame the child. You blame the 30-year-old woman who got in the passenger seat and said, ‘Drive, kid. I trust you.'” There’s no chance Pam Beesly could have known her analogy for working for the Michael Scott Paper Company would apply to the Raiders quarterback situation in 2023. “The Office” parallels aside, Jimmy Garoppolo has Raider Nation feeling like the season is already a lost cause. But we can’t put the onus on the nine-year vet. This is about Josh McDaniels.
Jimmy G Was Placed In A Thankless Position With Raiders
Coach McDaniels wasted little time signing Garoppolo after the 49ers tossed him aside. The Raiders provided a home as the unquestioned starter, a spot Jimmy G hadn’t had in the last few seasons. This QB1 slot came with a caveat, though. No one will mistake the Eastern Illinois product for a true franchise player at the position, but Garoppolo was added to the fold due to his familiarity with McDaniels’ system.
Sure, a title contender was more than happy to lose him for nothing, but this is Josh’s Guy. Jimmy G, warts and all, will lead this offense because he understands what Josh wants. Even if the polarizing signal-caller somehow succeeded and proved his “winner” label was truly warranted, most would heap all the praise on McDaniels and his system.
McDaniels Must Salvage Garoppolo
As of this writing, Jimmy G will return for Monday Night’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers. That’s right, another chance to embarrass Raider Nation on national television with happy feet and lob interceptions in clean pockets! Outside of a single, late-game scramble reposted ad nauseam on X after Week 1, Garoppolo has only given lowlights. The last time we saw No. 10 on the field, he laid a Mother Goose-sized egg on Sunday Night Football against the Steelers. For the sake of all our sanity, we can only hope Week 5 brings a better showing.
But what if it doesn’t? What will be the discourse of the Raiders losing another tight matchup due to offensive ineptitude? Will the fan base blame the defense that was never properly invested in from a resource standpoint? Will the offensive line be maligned for not providing Dallas Cowboy-like protection? (Sidenote: Has Jermaine Eluemunor posted about being a top right tackle lately?) We certainly won’t hear about how a fourth-round rookie should’ve protected the ball better — looking at you, Josh McDaniels.
Jimmy Garoppolo, a quarterback constantly surrounded by great talent, coaching, and defense, was left naked in the wild when he inked his deal in Las Vegas. That should be the talking point. You don’t remove Tony Stark’s Iron Man Suit and then put him in a brawl with the Hulk. So, why would you place a talent-lacking, injury-prone quarterback behind a spotty offensive line and tell him to support a notoriously leaky defense?
Only one man should receive this question, but I doubt you’d get a sufficient answer in return.
*Top Photo: Heidi Fang/Las Vegas Review-Journal
When you look at the history of teams that turned it all around most started their ascent beginning the second year with a new coach/GM. Some even started the very first year but being a “realist” as I am I would never expect that.
Usually starting the second season of a new coach/GM you start to see some progress in all areas of the game. Albeit maybe not a lot but the fans can see some good things starting to happen on ocassion that lets them know good things (and times) are headed their way and that the direction of the team is going right.
I am not choosy. I am not impatient. I look for the positive in every facet. Be it the last 20+ years there has not been a lot to be happy about with my Raiders team and/or the coaches & GM. I dont expect miracles (see the immaculent reception) as my Raiders have been made to always grind it out in every game and win despite the refs intentional bad calls courtesy pete rozelle.
Anyway, I and the fans are not witnessing any progress with this second year. Indeed I am seeing regression to the point of the Raiders are actually worse than the first year of a new coach & GM. Coach has nobody to blame and he cannot point fingers to anything else for this failure. He has only himself to blame…and possibly some blame belongs to the GM but not much. The saddest part is I dont see any avenue for them to improve even if Aidan is the starter.
Amen to putting the blame on McDaniels, as well as Ziegler for his complicity in assembling this roster.
But it was prior to last season when the Niners gave up on Jimmy. They shopped him and the remaining $25 mil on his contract around the league, with no takers. Even the Raiders new regime passed and instead opted to give Carr a no-trade contract for whatever foolish reason.
With no offers, Jimmy was cut and then re-signed for only six million, backup money. Called into service last year, Jimmy won some games with the best roster in the league before getting injured for the umpteenth time.
The real question is, Why did McDaniels sign an injury-prone $6 million backup QB to a $75 million contract?
It’s a head scratcher for sure.
McDaniels = total clown ….I have been a Raiders fan for around 60 years and this guy is a total clown.
This article was spot on and exactly what I have been saying about Jimmy G since he was singed. And unfortunately it seems that Joshee hasn’t learned from his time in Denver and will continue to shift blame to the players and not on himself and his football philosophy.
Absolutely blame McDaniels. You could throw in Zeigler but he doesn’t do anything without Josh’s say so. If there is anybody else to blame it’s Mark Davis. He has got to be the worst NFL owner now that Snyder is gone. He’s the one that hired McZiggy, even though Josh showed what he was all about a decade earlier in Bronco country. How/why he didn’t give Rich a shot still baffles me. Back to Josh, he can’t coach. No offensive adjustments, his defense last year had so many breakdowns and this year without Carr to get a lead the defense can’t maintain. Jimmy has the arm of a middle schooler and the football IQ of rookie. Everybody knew Jimmy was a “winner” due to being on a team with a great defense, and offense that acts like they want to score on every play., and a coach who knows how to call a great offensive game. Can somebody please tell Josh nobody respects Jimmy’s arm and that’s why the run game “can’t get going”. We deserve better. Fire these clowns before we waste another draft class. Seriously T.Wilson instead of J.Carter? What a bunch of morons.
Raiders need to fire Josh McDaniels before it’s too late. We will end up loosing JoshJacobs, Adam’s and Hunter Renfrow as a result. All the passes from Garapollo goes automatically toAdam’s. Who’s calling the plays? Renfrew needs to active.
I have never been a fan of McDaniel’s nor JimmyG. I call JimmyG Mr. Clutch Interception. Players are making comments about the direction of the team, sports announcers are questioning late game play calls. Time to cut the cord. If McDaniel’s has his way the whole team will be ex-patriots.