Raiders Insider Podcast on the Future of the NFL, Silver and Black

Our latest edition of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider dives into the future of the NFL and the Silver and Black.

Oct 20, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis, right, talks with Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke before an NFL game at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images / Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images

HENDERSON, Nevada -- The Las Vegas Raiders and the NFL have big changes on their respective horizons.

In this latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider podcast, our Hondo Carpenter and The Spun's Matt Hladik discuss the NFL's future as well as the latest news on the Silver and Black:

Head Coach Antonio Pierce

Q: I was wondering if Aidan O'Connell is going to be able to play this week and if that seems to be where that's headed?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah. I mean, he looks like he was good to go yesterday. He’ll have another good day. So, he should be good to go on Sunday."

Q: You've been without Jordan Meredith at practice this week. Any status on him?

Coach Pierce: "It's not looking good. I'll say doubtful."

Q: What's the plan in his place?

Coach Pierce: "Just go back to how it used to be. Probably Andre James will be at center and Jackson [Powers-Johnson] will be back to left guard."

Q: You guys have done a good job of turning the page every week. Have you tried to tweak the message to the players to not be redundant?

Coach Pierce: "No, we're just fighting for a win, trying to get better, looking for improvement, progress, fight, pride. That's kind of been the message. Really, I mean, we're searching for a win."

Q: What stands out to you with all the injuries that pop out about Jacksonville?

Coach Pierce: "I mean, just kind of like us. When you look at the whole league, everybody's just dealing with stuff. Obviously, the quarterback had a shoulder and concussion, so he'll be out. So, you're dealing with Mac Jones. I just think the whole league, it's just one of those years where they got a tight end that's out, they got one of their receivers out. I mean, everybody's battling with these injuries. I think it's no different than us. But, I think, just like how we're talking about, you got to have 11 guys go out there and there's more opportunities for somebody else."

Q: You guys have lost a lot of close games this year. Two of your last four losses, you could have won on the last play type situations, but you’re also starting like seven first- or second-year players on offense. You've been through this before, the understanding of how to close games out and win games. You want that to happen right away, but it doesn't always happen like that I would imagine?

Coach Pierce: "No, I mean, I know you said seven, but I think there's close to 22 to 25 first- and second year players that'll be active come Sunday. So, it's part of the process, words that we don't like talking about, but just trying to find a way to win, overcoming those situations, either setting ourselves behind through penalties or mental errors or mistakes like that. But the one thing I'll say, man, these young guys, they're playing their asses off. They're taking advantage of their opportunities. They're going out there, they're competing, they're playing with pride. And I think, like I said at some point, like I said after the game, it'll break, and it'll go our way. And it will go our way hopefully this Sunday."

Q: Did you find that as your career went on, that things got a little bit more clear in those critical moments?

Coach Pierce: "Oh, yeah. I mean, I call it the matrix. As I got older, everything slowed down. I can see it coming from a mile away. When you’re a young guy, you can't see it. When you talk to D-Cam [Decamerion Richardson] or Jackson [Powers-Johnson], there's just certain things that they just don't see right away. And you need repetition. You need that to happen to you. You need to get burnt a couple times to realize, 'Oh, I can't do that, or I can,' right? So, those are the part of your lessons, and you try to mimic that in practice, but there's nothing like practice compared to a game. So, I think as a young player, once you learn from your mistakes and you really rep them and you go through it again. As a coaching staff, you put those guys in position again in practice, walkthroughs, things of that nature. So, there's a learning curve, if that makes sense, right? So, I think our younger guys really do it. And listen, they take a lot of pride in doing that work. Nobody wants to go out there and make a mistake. So, I think that's the good part about it, we got guys that's prideful about their work."

Q: When you look at Brian Thomas Jr. from Jacksonville, a young star, what do you see in him and how challenging is he going to be?

Coach Pierce: "He's a problem. He's a young problem. And it sucks because they're not having the season they want to have and he's not getting enough recognition. But he's a really good football player, vertically down the field and run after the catch. He’s a big, powerful, strong individual. We're going to have our hands full with him."

Q: This is a quarterback driven league. In this year, you haven't had the best quarterback play. I know there's a lot of reasons, but that's just the reality. How much can a team struggling because of quarterback play make it look like that in other places there isn't talent when there is talent on this team?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, I mean, it's a team. I'm not going to just point at the quarterback, but obviously when you turn the ball over, that that hurts you. And we're at the highest in league as far as turnovers, and a lot of those are with our quarterbacks. We got to do a good job taking care of the football like we always do when we talked about. It didn't matter if it was Gardner [Minshew] or Aidan [O'Connell] or Desmond [Ridder], all those guys, all we talk about is protecting the football. That's the lifeline. That's our job security. That's why we're all here. But this is a talented team. It just happens to be young right now. We have 12 or 14 players on IR. I look at our D-line group, that's not even the same group that we left Costa Mesa with that'll be starting. But that's the nature of the beast. But obviously, teams that are winning, the quarterback position is one of the ones that's making that happen.”

Q: When you look at the Jacksonville Jaguars, what's a position group that you noticed is playing really good football?

Coach Pierce: "Those two outside linebackers, 44 [Travon Walker] and 41 [Josh Hines-Allen]. I mean, they're really good at rushing the passer, setting the edge, being disruptive, game changers, forced fumbles. They are really good outside linebackers. Obviously, there was a reason why they went number one, first round picks, but when you look at them and just how disruptive they are throughout the entire game."

Q: What's the fine line when you're trying to make a play? What I mean by that is, Jack Jones was trying to make a play on Monday, he said, 'I was just trying to make a play. Eyes were in the wrong spot.' But because of where the record is, he's just trying to make that big slash play. What's kind of the fine line of trying to make that play and also be safe?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, we always talk about making an educated guess, and that wasn’t an opportunity there for him to make that guess. That was a poor guess. But Jack [Jones] understands that. Jack, I mean, he's a human highlight. I mean, it's either good or bad with him, right? That's kind of how the season's been with him, and he understands that. That's something we constantly talk about, his eye discipline, his technique, his fundamentals, have his eyes in the right place, doing what he's asked to do. And I always remind him, even since I've been with him since he was 13, all his interceptions and big plays is when he just does his job and he doesn't force it. Every time he forces it, that's where it goes opposite for him. So again, that's a learning curve, right? Here's a guy that's trying to make a game changing play for us down in red zone or fringe area, and it winds up hurting us. So, what I love about Jack though, I would say this, after that play, he bounced back very strong. Tackled well, covered his man, did everything he was supposed to do. But that's a hard lesson to learn."

Q: You see a player like K'Lavon Chassion, who's had the opportunity to go as a first-round pick and then be released by that team, and now he gets to face this old team as a Raider. What do you see from him this week and getting hyped up for the game?

Coach Pierce: "Well, obviously, it's personal for him. It's the team that drafted him and let him go. But I'm just talking about KC [K'Lavon Chaisson] the player for us. I mean, I think he's done an outstanding job since he's gotten here, bought into what we want to do. Robbie Leonard and Andre [Carter] have done a good job of kind of just fitting him in. And I know over the last month, he's been kind of wrecking havoc. In the passing game, has an interception, obviously, getting after the quarterback, but then in the running game, with all the injuries, he's been a bright spot for us. Somebody that obviously has tier one traits as a f irst-round pick, but I think he's kind of found his home here, and we're happy to have him on our side."

Q: When a player like Sincere McCormick, who was doing so well and everybody was hyping him up and everything towards the end of the season. Getting that injury, what kind of advice do you give him? And how does that affect him as a player, being that this is a business after all?

Coach Pierce: "Well, I think first and foremost, he put himself in a good position for the offseason. Get him healthy, get him back out there. But he's shown enough in those three or four games where you say, 'Wow, he has something to him,' right? And you look at the offseason when we get there with [Tom]Telesco and just see where he fits in that role. But I think he's done a good job of taking advantage of his opportunities. And again, just like I've been talking about, it's been the kind of nature the business and the beast for us this year with injuries. We've got to just get him back and get him healthy."

Q: You mentioned K'Lavon Chaisson getting a new look. I asked him yesterday about the fact that it seems like he's back having fun like he did in college. And what is it about sometimes a change of view that can change a player?

Coach Pierce: "Well, I think that, too. And then also, putting your arm around him, loving him. And also, the culture and the way our locker room is and with that D-line group, that's a very tight knit group, even with Maxx [Crosby] and Christian [Wilkins] out. Those guys are always in here and doing things together constantly. So, like I said, he's kind of just fit in. I think initially he was trying to find his way, and then once he found his way, I mean, we're reaping the benefits of his play right now. But he is happy, he's kind of f inding himself. He's like, 'AP, I like it here, I want to be a Raider,' and that's kind of good, you know? That's things that you want to have happen when you bring guys in who didn't work out. Because a lot of first rounders, when it doesn't work out for them, they kind of just go to the wayside and feel sorry for themselves. He's taking advantage of every opportunity."

Q: You referred to a bad day at the office for special teams last week. What's the process this week for kind of getting it back and how confident are you in the communication?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, little personnel changes, getting the groove back, building the confidence back in them. That's a good group. They've been one of our better units all year, our punt team, and they had a bad day, right? It was some miscommunication there. And obviously, like I said, we made some personnel changes and expect to have a great day on Sunday."

Q: You were talking about K'Lavon Chaissn and we’ve talked about Tyree Wilson a lot. What is it about Robbie Leonard that seems like he just gets the most out of all those guys?

Coach Pierce: "I mean, think about it, Jonah [Laulu], Zach Carter. I mean, Robbie Leonard has done a really good job. Robbie Leonard's a really good coach, a really good coach, and I wouldn't be shocked if he's a defensive coordinator at some point."

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