Week 16 saw the Antonio Pierce-led Las Vegas Raiders finally end their 10-game losing streak, and with that, there’s much to talk about. Let’s get you caught up, Raider Nation.
As the Silver and Black prepared for Week 16, it appeared that a significant number of fans were uniting under two distinct banners. We’re referring to the notion of “tanking” and the fact that many fans want Pierce fired. Both of these concepts are currently on hold. Whether you agree with it or not, players and coaches will not lose on purpose in the NFL. There’s simply too much on the line, from financial ramifications to the simplest of things, such as pride.
Pride is exactly what the Raiders displayed on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Pierce expressed that his team persevered and prioritized winning over “draft status.”
Pierce; “I am very proud of my team being resilient and blocking out the outside noise. They put their hearts into it.”
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) December 23, 2024
Raiders HC Antonio Pierce isn’t worried about a draft pick…
As of Monday morning, Las Vegas now sits at No. 6 in next year’s draft order. Raiders fans find this drop to be devastating. Essentially, their perceived “meaningless” win over Jacksonville puts them out of contention for Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Many folks in both fan and media circles believe Sanders will be 2025’s top pick, and now the Raiders will likely be out of the sweepstakes. However, it should be noted that the Raiders are tied with four teams above them with a 3-12 record.
All of that aside, Pierce didn’t seem too concerned after the win. When asked about possibly losing the No. 1 selection, Pierce decided to defer to general manager Tom Telesco.
“Talk to Tom Telesco.”
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce responds to talk of potentially losing out on the no.1 overall pick after beating the Jaguars.
By @Sean_Zittel, Vegas Sports Today#RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/YLCGKZvaG0
— Vegas Sports Today (@VegasSportsTD) December 23, 2024
Technically speaking, Pierce isn’t wrong. Telesco is the one in charge of the draft, free agency, and overall roster construction. Right now, Pierce is coaching for his job—let’s say he wins another couple of games; do you give him a second year? That decision will fall on owner Mark Davis this offseason. Speaking of Davis, he seems relieved that his team has finally ended the losing streak. That’s far from the reaction that some Raiders fans were expecting.
Mark Davis tells the locker room, “Way to fight.”
Following Sunday’s victory, Davis was apparently happier than some in Raider Nation with the win. In fact, Tashan Reed of The Athletic reported on the mood following the Jaguars matchup.
#Raiders owner Mark Davis was in the locker room clapping and talking to Daniel Carlson and AJ Cole when the locker room opened to the media. Some other players were dancing. Davis was in a good mood. Doesn’t seem to care about the draft order ramifications of the win over JAX.
— Tashan Reed (@tashanreed) December 23, 2024
As reported by Reed’s colleague at The Athletic, Davis expressed his desire for the losing to cease and took the opportunity to commend his players for their unwavering perseverance.
Davis telling each player “way to fight” as they leave locker room
— Vic Tafur (@VicTafur) December 23, 2024
The Raiders remain a viable contender for a quarterback prospect. Davis has expressed that he’s tired of the carousel at the position, but no owner will ever publicly support losing. With both the New Orleans Saints and the Los Angeles Chargers left on the schedule, the current draft order could see a major shakeup in the coming couple of weeks. For now, Davis is probably just relieved that the losing ended.
*Top Photo: Getty Images
Outdated Raiders Radio Host Goes After Fans Amid “Tank” Conundrum