Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce: 'I'm Racing Time Now'

Interim Coach Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders have only five games to solidify a playoff berth.

Las Vegas Raiders Interim Coach Antonio Pierce was thrown into the fire following the Raiders' Week 8 loss to the Detroit Lions.

Since replacing former Coach Josh McDaniels, Pierce has led his team to a 2-2 record -- two straight wins followed by two straight losses.

Just like that, the second-year Raiders coach has only five games to prove he deserves to stay at the helm and get Las Vegas back to the postseason.

"Each and every game you get better, right?" Pierce told reporters Monday. "Hopefully. Some people say you're getting worse. That's cool. Everybody got an opinion. We know what that is. 

"But for me, overall, it's just understanding how we operate. Working with Pat [Patrick Graham], working with Tom [McMahon], being side by side with Bo [Hardegree], working with Matt Sheldon with the game management. That takes time. 

"And I get it; I'm racing time now, right? The clock is ticking, right? It's almost over. I get it. But the best part about it, I know whenever this is over, I've gotten better. 

"It will be a better AP whenever that happens. So, I'm fine with that."

Interim Head Coach Antonio Pierce and the Las Vegas Raiders now have just five games to get to solidify a playoff berth / © Kirby Lee | 2023 Nov 26

Pierce and the Raiders finally have a bye week. It's a time for the coach to reflect on what he has done well through his first four games and what he can do better. To put it simply, Pierce said he needs to "get right" this week.

"I've got five weeks," Pierce said. "Get right. If I don't get right, I have a lot more time off -- 52 weeks. I can do the math."

Pierce's victories over the New York Giants and New York Jets had Raider Nation feeling as though this new regime had turned things around in Las Vegas. But after back-to-back losses -- albeit against two division leaders -- Pierce and his team's backs are against the wall. That's nothing the Raiders haven't overcome before, though.

The Silver and Black will return home to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, December 10, at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST.

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