For Coach Pierce, Raiders' Problems are Fixable but Frustrating

The Las Vegas Raiders repeatedly hurt themselves in their Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Coach Antonio Pierce said while the team's issues are fixable, they are frustrating.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce watches from the sidelines in the second half against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders fell to 0-1 on the season after losing against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

In this game, the Raiders made multiple preventable, costly mistakes. The fact that the team’s issues are fixable makes it even more frustrating for Coach Antonio Pierce, as the Raiders repeatedly got in their own way Sunday against the Chargers. 

Las Vegas turned the ball over three times and gave up three sacks in a game it only trailed by 2 points heading into the fourth quarter. The Raiders' offense struggled all game, much like it did last season, only scoring three points in the second half, while the defense played as well as it could, as long as it could.

Pierce said the fact that the Raiders’ problems are fixable makes them more frustrating as the team’s head coach. 

"No, it's more frustrating,” Pierce said. “Because I thought, when you look at it, I'm just going from the offensive side of the ball, we had about six or seven possessions where we're at midfield or in plus territory, and it didn't go the way we wanted to go. We didn't finish. We make a big play with Brock [Bowers], an incomplete pass, and two sacks, right? 

“We get a 2-minute drill, and we have a fumble. We get down there, we get an explosive run, we get a holding. Then next play, we fumble. The Raiders yesterday didn't do a good job of taking care of the Raiders. Little self-inflicted.” 

Pierce credited the Chargers for playing a good game and contributing to the victory, noting that the Chargers made more plays than the Raiders did on Sunday. However, he also noted that while the Raiders played tough, they have multiple things they need to clean up before their Week 2 matchup against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

“Obviously, give credit to them, but there's things that we could just clean up and do a lot better,” Pierce said. “Details matter. Details matter, right? And I thought our guys played hard, the effort, everything. They competed their asses off, but at the end of the day, they created the plays and made the plays that we didn't."

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