First impressions are everything, and interim Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce passed his test with flying colors. The 45-year-old not only got the first win, but he also joined some notable names and made history in his debut.
After a firing, the team gets that new coach bump, whether an interim or permanent head coach takes over. The Raiders squad could have gone in two different directions after the firing of Josh McDaniels.
There was the path of continuing to spiral out of control or respond to the coaching change. Luckily for Raiders fans, the squad benefited from having a new voice and secured a convincing 30-6 win over the New York Giants on Sunday.
Antonio Pierce is in good company after winning head coaching debut
Las Vegas is 4-5 after winning Pierce’s debut. Nonetheless, if Raiders fans need some good omen or hope they can grasp that Pierce can turn around this ship, well, how about a positive stat?
The Associated Press’ Josh Dubow highlighted on X, formerly Twitter, that Pierce joined Art Shell (1989) and Rich Bisaccia (2021) to have won their interim head coaching debuts. Now, I know what you’re thinking: why is joining Shell and Bisaccia a possible good omen? Well, both men eventually took the Raiders to the playoffs.
Shell made it to the AFC title game the next season. Meanwhile, Bisaccia didn’t need to wait a year to see playoff football, as he guided the Silver and Black to the postseason that same season in 2021.
Can Pierce replicate what Bisaccia did two years ago? The path won’t be easy as they’ll face the Kansas City Chiefs twice and the Miami Dolphins. However, if the squad can go into those games with confidence.
More positive vibes for Antonio Pierce?
Okay, Raiders fans, the good omens aren’t stopping with Shell and Bisaccia. Following Pierce’s first head coaching victory, ESPN’s Stats & Info highlighted that Las Vegas had won by 24 points, making it the largest margin of victory immediately after a mid-season coaching change since 2015. That year, after Dan Campbell took over as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins, he led the team to a 28-point win.
Now, Campbell didn’t stay as the Dolphins’ head coach. However, that doesn’t mean his coaching career isn’t flourishing. The 47-year-old has turned the Detroit Lions around, and the Raiders got a good glimpse of them on “Monday Night Football” last week.
It’s possible that Pierce could have the same impact on the Lions as Campbell, who has instilled a winning mentality in a team with a history of losing. This could be a good sign for Pierce as he seeks to persuade team owner Mark Davis to remove his interim tag.
*Top Photo: Ethan Miller/Getty Images
