WATCH: Raiders' Pierce Details Buccaneers Matchup

The Las Vegas Raiders will face a tough Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad on Sunday. Head coach Antonio Pierce spoke recently about the matchup.

Las Vegas Raiders Antonio Pierce / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

LAS VEGAS -- The Las Vegas Raiders are set to take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 14.

Head coach Antonio Pierce's strategy for the rest of the season is to compete using the youth movement. The Silver and Black will continue to aim for physicality and toughness down the stretch. The Buccaneers are a tough team, too, and Pierce sounded off about the Week 14 matchup on Wednesday, and we have the full video right here:

Below is a partial transcript from Antonio Pierce's Dec. 4 media availability:

Q: This offensive line is going to go into, I think, their fourth straight week. Presuming all five are out there for you, but it looks like that will probably be the case, do you see that unit - it feels like that might be checking off a little bit of a box here toward the end of the season?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, and it will be the same five. I mean, we're healthy, knock on wood. We finished the week that way, we'll have the same five guys out there. Continuity and chemistry. I've been saying that since training camp with this group. You see it starting to gel. You see that in the running game, you see that in protection, you see the communication throughout the game and not having these mental errors, just understanding who you're working with. I think that's really a credit to those guys, one, keeping guys healthy, and then obviously Joe Philbin has done a good job filling in."

Q: What has Joe Philbin done to kind of change the game a little bit there?

Coach Pierce: "I think he's really dialed back, man. He talks a lot about technique and fundamentals with that group, and that's all they work on in individual, constantly on the side, just hand placement, footwork, eyes, communication. Certain positions, you don't need to do a lot, right? And in that o-line room, that's the case. I think sometimes leaving too much on these guys' plate, they're overthinking and they're not playing as fast. So really credit to them, the players, one, buying in, because it's hard when you make a change in the middle of the season, a coach coming in, he has a whole different philosophy than maybe the prior coach, and the guys bought into it, and you are now starting to see that pay off on the field."

Q: Is there a tight end that Brock Bowers reminds you of?

Coach Pierce: "No, not this one. This guy is different. It's different, because when you get matched up on the number one corner, when you're getting double teamed throughout the field, and they know we're going to throw him the ball, and we're going to keep throwing him the ball, and he's winning those matchups. It's hard. No, because his body type is different. I mean, I think there was some comparisons early on to Aaron Hernandez of that type, but I just think the way he plays the game after he has the ball. I mean, it's really like a running back. He's a receiver when the ball is in the air, and when he has a ball in his hand, I mean he's punishing people. He's skilled enough obviously with his hands and his catch radius. I can't really speak highly enough about this player. This player is doing a hell of a job this year for us, and it's no secret what we're going to do each and every play when there's an opportunity to throw it to 89."

Q: There was a clip of Brock Bowers on the touchdown pass, where he used his left hand to kind of disengage a little bit, but it was really subtle...

Coach Pierce: "Savvy."

Q: Yeah, just having that, like you just said, savvy, at that age…

Coach Pierce: "I've said that from day one, from the first day he walked into the building, he was just a different cat, man. He's all about ball. You just see him, everything he's doing, he's always moving. Everything's football related, even just walking through the building. And that's just a small sample of what he does throughout. Just his releases, his ability, we throw him a fade over there on [Trent] McDuffie late in the game or third quarter, and his ability to stack him, get on top and make a one hand catch and put his hand up late, those are things that you see more veteran players do, but obviously a very skilled and tremendous athlete."

Q: Have you seen Brock Bowers come out of his shell much at all as his confidence grows as the year goes on?

Coach Pierce: "Who, Brock [Bowers]? No. No, he's still in his shell. No. He doesn't talk at all. No, still in his shell."

Q: Sincere McCormick has been activated to the active roster and his time on the practice squad, how would you say he's grown from there to where he is right now, the production he's put forward for the team?

Coach Pierce: "What you're seeing on gamedays, on Sundays and Friday from last week is what we saw every day in practice – a guy that ran hard, runs tough, good vision, decisive, hits the hole. First guy is not tackling him right now, and that's been a big key for us in the run game, not getting tackled by that first defender. So, he's making the most of his opportunity. He'll keep getting opportunities. I said that last week. I think it was 12 carries he got, and hopefully we can just bump that up a little bit more this week."

Q: Last time you coached against Baker Mayfield, it was that Rams game a couple years ago. When you look at the tape and you remember that game, what are some things that make Baker Mayfield difficult to defend?

Coach Pierce: "I mean, first of all, that game could have ended twice. We had a sack; we had an interception. But he's just a guy that's very resilient as well. I mean, he's the number one pick that's kind of bounced around a little bit and found his home at Tampa Bay. He plays the game kind of like Brett Favre, who I played against in league. He's very fiery, he'll do whatever it takes to make a play. The play's never dead with him. You've got to keep your eyes on him and then stay in coverage. So, that'll be a challenge. But, I mean obviously he has the arm talent, very talented player. And then look, he has some really good players on his team, right? Mike Evans is there, and that's going to be a big challenge for us as well. And these two running backs, seven [Bucky Irving] and one [Rachaad White], are doing a really good job for him as well in pass protection and running routes."

Q: What were your impressions of K'Lavon Chaisson when he came in and how's he progressed the year?

Coach Pierce: "Good. I thought it was a good breakout game for him. We had those two penalties early, we kind of reset him on that one. But that game last week was very similar to what Malcolm Koonce was able to do as well last year when we had three sacks. I think he had a sack and a half, multiple hits on the quarterback, pressures and did a good job rushing. Again, we know we're getting from Maxx [Crosby] every play, right? They're sliding that way, they're tripping him. Hell, we even got triple team several times with Maxx. Somebody else has a one-on-one, and he took advantage of him. And listen, he has first-round talent, first-round traits and I think he really understands what his role is for us. He doesn't need to be that premier pass rusher like we have with Maxx. Be that role player and really accept that role, and he's done a good job of doing it."

Q: He's been setting the edge it seems like he has the skills for that?

Coach Pierce: "No listen, he's a powerful man. That's why I said when you look at him and just see how he's built; lower base, wide hips, big butt, hell does a really good job of playing with long arms and playing with extension. So, I mean there's a reason why he went first round, and you can see it."

Q: Jackson Powers-Johnson really took accountability after the game last week. He said he would kind of learn from it moving forward. What is it like seeing that kind of accountability from the rookie and how do you think those hard lessons can help him?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, I mean that was tough I think for all of us. That was one of our pillars was accountability. Just seeing Aidan [O'Connell] come up to the podium and him speak about that, and Jackson [Powers-Johnson], a rookie. And like I told those guys, they don't need to be accountable. That was the team's fault. We failed as a team on that one, right? So, I know he snapped the ball and all this other stuff, but that doesn't matter. I think when we lose, we lose as a team, when we win - but those are the traits that we saw from him coming out of college - leadership, the ability to be a captain, to be a vocal person and listen, he's playing pretty well at center for us as well. So, I mean he's doing a good job. He's got that Raider mindset, and again as a young player to understand that there was a mistake made late in the game and fingers being pointed at him, credit to him, but it's not on him."

Q: Was there any clarity given to you guys by the NFL about what happened on that?

Coach Pierce: "Yeah, just the rule stands. At the end of the day, we can' put ourselves in that position, right? We talked about that going into the game. Don't put ourselves in position where the officials have to make a call, and we did, and it cost us."

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