Kermit the Frog is here; at least that’s what Las Vegas Raiders rookie safety Trey Taylor mimicked when he picked up a curly-haired puppet at training camp. After a fan threw the puppet on the ground near him, Taylor decided to take a moment and have some fun at the defending champion’s expense.
That was certainly a bold move considering the state of the AFC West.
A fan brought it pic.twitter.com/zQEDdVDVoL
— Sonny Daze (@sonnysdazed) July 26, 2024
The Raiders are changing the narrative…
The Las Vegas Raiders’ offseason of disrespect and non-belief continues to roll on. A camera catching a candid moment of silliness has provided even more negative attention. In what was supposed to be a closed-session practice, somehow a fan brought the muppet to the field, threw it in front of a player, and a video got leaked. Catching Taylor slipping in 4K.
Antonio Pierce, the new head coach, has given players the freedom to express themselves freely. Previous regimes didn’t seem to provide this luxury. How far is too far? That is a question that only a coach can answer. While the confidence the team has is refreshing given the constant negativity flung their way, it’s best not to poke the bear.
Misfits, as the defense has named itself, do things a little differently. These misfits have come up with the Mahomes rule: they have beaten him at home, and they have clamped him up in a way no one else has. Over the years, we have heard numerous coaches discuss the importance of developing a bully. This defense is bullying the Chiefs.
Bullying the champs?
“Somewhere within the first five to ten plays of the game, the other team’s quarterback must go down, and he must go down hard.” – Al Davis
Up until this point in the season, people attributed the defense’s resurgence to “playing backup quarterbacks.” Fans and media talking heads weren’t aware of just how physical the new Raiders were. On Christmas day in front of the whole world, the Raiders’ defense beat the shine out of the defending champs.
Travis Kelce: "We got our ass beat by the f****** Raiders on Christmas. Pierce had those dudes ready to brawl right there on the field.”
byu/YouBetterChill inraiders
Cornerback Jack Jones, an intricate piece to the resurgence, stared Mahomes down as he returned his interception for a touchdown. The beatdown was so thorough and complete that Andy Reid called and thanked Pierce for kicking their tails and teaching them a lesson. On Bussin’ with the Boys, Travis Kelce talked about how they got there, and Pierce had those guys ready to fight.
The Raiders’ intensity in kicking the crap out of the Chiefs inspired them to continue their Super Bowl run from that point on. If they could match the Raiders’ intensity, no one could stop them.
Patrick Mahomes on the video circulating of Raiders players using a Kermit the frog puppet to impersonate him:
“It’ll get handled when it gets handled.”
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) July 26, 2024
AFC West: Marking their calendars…
Patrick Mahomes, Andy Reid, and the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t forgotten about how the Raiders stole Christmas. Every time the Raiders engage in cutesy, disrespectful celebrations directed at the Chiefs; a legendary brawl ensues. This kind of bulletin board material provides extra motivation for when they meet.
“It will get handled when it gets handled.” – Patrick Mahomes
“We don’t spend a lot of time here with puppets.” – Andy Reid
We have seen the Chiefs play ring around the Rosie in the huddle and score touchdowns. A multitude of disrespectful recess-related schoolyard football plays have torched the Raiders before. The Raiders’ culture may be characterized by the phrase “Talk yo ish and walk yo ish,” but they must be adequately prepared.
*Top Photo: Total Pro Sports