Why Raiders' Pierce's View of Adams Changed After 2024 Win Over Chargers

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce was moved by the effort wide receiver Davante Adams gave in the Raiders' 63-21 win over the Los Angeles Chargers last season.

Las Vegas Raiders WR Davante Adams / Darrell Craig Harris, Sports Illustrated

When the Las Vegas Raiders fell 3-0 to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14 last season, there was a sense of depletion among Raider Nation.

The Raiders were fresh off a bye week heading into the matchup, a much-needed break after dropping back-to-back games that evened Coach Antonio Pierce's start as interim head coach.

With an opportunity to get back on track at home, Las Vegas was unable to score a single point.

Instead of hanging their heads, though, the Raiders bounced back the following week to drop a franchise-record 63 points on the Chargers. The effort started with their leaders.

Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, who had come off an underwhelming 53-yard receiving game, finished with 101 yards and a touchdown on eight receptions, just his second of what would be three 100-plus-yard receiving outings.

In the sixth episode of the new Netflix documentary, "Receiver," Coach Pierce expressed his appreciation for the veteran wideout and the approach he took to that contest.

"Your star player, right?" Pierce said. "What are we playing for? Probably out the playoffs, got this interim head coach, he'll probably will get fired at the end of the season, I got money in the bank. Why he needs to do it? He could've easily just tapped out on me and be like, 'I'm good.' He didn't. For me, to be honest, that moment was like, 'I can fool with Davante.' Totally different approach now with Davante from that point on for me."

Ironically, Adams said it was because of Pierce that the team was able to rebound from the Minnesota loss.

"[Pierce is a] really open communicator and doesn't let his pride get in the way," Adams said when he joined the "Up & Adams Show" earlier this week, "and it makes it really easy to work with him and figure out solutions, which is why we were able to bounce back after putting up a goose egg against the Vikings and then, play a few days later and go up and put up 60-some-odd points. So, when you have a coach like that that's willing to listen and work with you, it makes everything a lot better."

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