Raiders' Antonio Pierce Showed Strength at Team's Worst Moment

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce had a stern response to how his team performed against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. It exhibited his greatest strength.

Sep 15, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Antonio Pierce reacts during the first half against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders were beat down by the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. The Panthers were considered one of the worst teams in the league (and still are). The loss, coming on the heels of a momentous win against the Baltimore Ravens, was unacceptable.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce had a stern response to the performance when he spoke to the press afterward.

"We got our ass whooped," Pierce said. "We got to put pads on, I don't know, got to get on the sled. Same group that's, for the most part, all come back and same technique, same coaches, it's not a different scheme, so obviously we have to coach better and be some hard asses on the guys, and guys have to take some rough coaching because just didn't see that on either side of the ball. We had an opportunity to run the ball and we didn't. Didn't do that at all. We tried and tried and tried, and I would have booed us, too. Offensively, defensively, we didn't do a good enough job up front, not good enough."

And of course, he made the comments that have the whole league and NFL media scrambling to decipher:

"I don't think it was the team. I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions, and we'll make business decisions going forward as well."

Many have pointed fingers afterward. NFL personality Pat McAfee seemed to criticize it on his show.

"We will let you know that within a locker room, anytime somebody calls out somebody’s business decision being made, and it doesn’t work out good … not good,” McAfee said. “That is a very slanderous thing to say to somebody. ... [To say] ‘We’re making business decisions out here?’ That is a big punch right to the balls. That is a massive shot."

Sports Illustrated's Conor Orr, who ranked the Raiders No. 32 in his Week 4 power-rankings, was also critical of the head coach's words.

"I don’t mean to pick on the Raiders, but accusing your players of making business decisions publicly and then considering a QB change three games into the season when the QB is not the problem -- relying on the nebulous 'spark' to guide you -- is the stuff of ruin," Orr wrote. "Antonio Pierce has been in more locker rooms than I, but in studying what happens to a team when it starts to spiral, these are almost always on the ingredient list."

The criticism is misguided and it misunderstands the core of what Pierce represents.

Going back for a long time, Raiders fans have had to deal with coaches who spoke "coach speak" and gave word-salad answers that ultimately told them nothing. Evasive coaches. Clueless coaches. Fraudulent, some might even say.

That is not Pierce. He has made the Silver and Black in his image, focusing on toughness. He is honest and speaks his heart. Pierce is himself and his players are allowed to be themselves. He will suffer no fools on this team.

The Raiders wanted to commit to excellence, so they hired Pierce. He has implemented his vision for the Raiders since Day 1. He has spoken his mind because he feels some have begun to stray from that vision. That's the Pierce way. It is the "Raider Way."

Expect nothing less from Pierce.

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