HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — The difference in the teams’ attitude was abundantly clear Thursday night.
It didn’t seem like Los Angeles was interested in fighting for coach Brandon Staley. On Friday, the Chargers fired him after one of the worst losses in franchise history.
Las Vegas played as if it was fully invested in making sure interim coach Antonio Pierce kept his job, as the Raiders took a 42-0 halftime lead and then cruised to a 63-21 win, a score that looked surprisingly close to the actual game.
Like the Chargers, the Raiders could have collapsed, having lost 3-0 four days earlier to Minnesota to extend their losing streak to three games. They instead played inspired football against Los Angeles.
“AP is a dog,” wide receiver Davante Adams said. “When you’re where we are right now, it helps a lot. He understands the mentality. He understands our goal as a team, and I think everyone has rallied around him really hard to make sure he knows we have his back.”
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No Rader has a longer and perhaps more passionate relationship with Pierce than cornerback Jack Jones, with whom he played at Long Beach (Calif.) Poly High School and Arizona State.
“It means everything to me,” Jones said. “He’s like a father figure.”
Pearce could feel the support of his players during the week. He was as disappointed as anyone after the embarrassing loss to the Vikings, but said the players never wavered in their professionalism and commitment.
“I had to slap myself out of a rut, and they pulled me out of a rut. I told them that on Tuesday, I told them that again (Thursday), hats off to our players because that’s a good thing,” Pierce said. What real leaders and men do. “They brought others with them, they brought me with them, and we kicked some (butts).”
It remains to be seen whether Pearce will eventually get the job, and the history and grueling remaining schedule that includes two road trips certainly doesn’t help much.
Owner Mark Davis will likely be looking for a great hire, similar to what happened two years ago when he went with Josh McDaniels rather than staying home even after Rich Bisaccia led the team to the playoffs.
Pearce still has time to make his case, and he doesn’t have to worry about whether or not he has the support of his players.
Jermaine Elimonor had heard the criticism after he gave up three sacks to Khalil Mack in his first meeting with the Chargers. He also had the dual responsibility of moving from right tackle to left tackle to replace the injured Colton Miller, Las Vegas’ best offensive lineman. Eluemunor helped render Mack non-operational. Mack went from six sacks in the first game against the Raiders to zero on Thursday.
It’s hard to find much fault after a display like that against the Chargers, but part of what was so shocking is that it seemed to come out of nowhere. Not only were the Raiders coming off a tough loss to the Vikings, but their offense ranked near the bottom all season. Maybe what needs work is finding consistency because if the Raiders mess up in Kansas City on Christmas Day, this performance will be viewed as a one-time occurrence.
DE Malcolm Koonce was all over the field, making two sacks, forcing two fumbles and recording three quarterback hits. He was a key part of the defense and didn’t let the Chargers cross midfield until the third quarter when the game was already out of control.
Receiver RB Josh Jacobs is an issue as he is out with a quadriceps injury. The Raiders gave the other linebacker more touches — and they succeeded. Zamir White rushed for 69 yards for an average of 4.1 per game, and Amir Abdullah averaged 5.3 yards while gaining 32 yards. Brandon Bolden also scored on a 26-yard run from the Wildcat formation. It was always doubtful that Jacobs would return next season anyway, but the play of these full-backs should put management’s minds at ease.
The Raiders were without three starters — Jacobs, Miller (shoulder) and CAndre James (ankle).
8 – The number of Raiders who have scored a touchdown, the fourth team to accomplish this feat and the first since the Los Angeles Rams in 1950. Only wide receiver Tre Tucker has had more than one TD.
Las Vegas has 10 days to prepare for the visit of the Chiefs.
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The Las Vegas Raiders put on a strong show of support for their interim head coach, Antonio Pierce, as they secured a crucial victory over the Los Angeles Chargers. Despite facing a tough opponent, the Raiders delivered an impressive performance on both sides of the ball, demonstrating their unity and determination to rally around their leader. The team’s display of solidarity and resilience in the face of adversity further cements their commitment to Pierce and his vision for the team, showcasing a powerful bond that will undoubtedly continue to drive their success on the field.