Raiders' OC Bo Hardegree on Chiefs Week

Las Vegas Raiders Interim Offensive Cordinator Bo Hardegree's entire press conference before the game with the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day.

The Las Vegas Raiders (6-8) are set to take on the reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (9-5) tomorrow, Christmas Day, at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs want to fend off theorizing Silver and Black and their Interim Coach, Antonio Pierce.

The Raiders want to keep their NFL Playoff dreams alive and deliver a body punch to their arch-AFC West rivals.  The game is sure to be a slugfest.

Above, you can watch Hardrgree's entire press conference, and you can read the transcript below:

Darrell Craig Harris, Raiders Today

Interim Offensive Coordinator Bo Hardegree

Q: You were in the booth last Thursday. What was behind that decision and what are the differences between being up there and being on the sideline? 

Coach Hardegree: "The differences, obviously you can see the full field. You guys are up there, you can really see it pretty quickly, so you get instant feedback, which is important as a play caller. And that was an advantage for sure. Communication was quicker, I thought, adjustments. And so, it was a different vantage point for sure, because you're just sitting in a box, kind of soundproof, so it was it was definitely a change, and it was positive for us."

Q: Have you been up in the booth prior in your coaching career? 

Coach Hardegree: "I have."

Q: Any preference? 

Coach Hardegree: "No, I mean, it's good to be a first time play-caller and get both opportunities as you grow to kind of basically take both of them and kind of weigh the differences. So, obviously, this opportunity worked out pretty well."

Q: Is it fair to say that maybe that contributed to some of the trick plays that you use being able to see the whole field? 

Coach Hardegree: "I'd say all the above maybe. Obviously, I'm always going to give the players the credit. I mean, they executed the plays, and they never looked back, and we didn't take our foot off the pedal."

Q: There's been a couple of instances for wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to have opportunities to potentially throw the ball. How did you discover that's what you really liked and that you wanted to see that happen? 

Coach Hardegree: "It's one of those things, you kind of work those plays, you have those plays, and then in practice you see some things. Actually, that one that him and Tae [Davante Adams] connected on, not in the end zone but earlier, it's kind of you were hoping the corner bites up on it and Tae can run by the guy. But in practice, the same thing happened -- the corner stayed on top, and they were able to hook up on that, so he gives me the absolute most trust. I've used it before, and he's thrown the ball away when that look wasn't there. So, that's easy to call things like that when you have a guy like that who you trust."

Q: In that play it looked like there was a different intention and he read it correctly. I mean, that's probably pretty good from wide receiver to wide receiver? 

Coach Hardegree: "It's very special." 

Q: We were talking to Patrick Graham about it too, but when you have that good of a game all around, everybody plays that well, everybody's clicking, everybody's excited. To have not only a Thursday game, but then a Monday after that, it's extra time off. Would you rather try to keep that momentum kind of going? 

Coach Hardegree: "No, I think obviously there are a lot of positives. Reset and know this is a really special opportunity that we have on Christmas Day to go out there and give it our best. But obviously having great prep, great practice, and let that fall through to the game."

Q: Statistically speaking, this was rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell's best game of the season against the Chargers, but also against the Chiefs when they were here. When you watch the film from that game, despite how good he played, what are some other things that you could tell him to prepare for this game as well? 

Coach Hardegree: "Every week is a new challenge. He's learning every week. I'm learning every week. From that game and in this prior game, it's protecting the football that was important. And just with that ability to play fast and kind of learn from anything that came up in this game, and the previous game versus the Chiefs, will be important going forward."

Q: How much does it differ for you on game day when you're calling plays for Josh Jacobs to be your bell cow versus running back by committee like you did on Thursday? 

Coach Hardegree: "Yeah, I was excited for those guys to get the opportunity. Josh was really trying hard to get back and I really respect that, but we'll continue to just keep putting the ball in our players hands and give them the best opportunity to be successful."

Q: A couple of injuries on the offensive line, but a guy that stepped up was Jordan Meredith. Can you just share what it's meant for him to step up on the offensive line? 

Coach Hardegree: "Again, great opportunity for somebody to go out there on a big-time showcase and he played well. He's physical, he's smart, he's tough. And he's shown that all through, even in the spring, in the fall, he just keeps progressing. And Carmen [Bricillo] and Cam [Clemmons] have done a great job with him."

Q: It seems like more and more Michael Mayer and Tre Tucker are being more involved in the offense. What's that process like for rookies to kind of climb that ladder to get to the kind of point that they are right now? 

Coach Hardegree: "Just really having that success in practice. And then they have those plays that they know that are going to come their way and executing that and having that opportunity to just continue to build on that. Those guys deserve those opportunities 

On Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, the Silver and Black will return to action versus their AFC West rivals, the Kansas City Chiefs. Don't miss it on Monday, December 25, at 1 p.m. EST/10 a.m. PST.

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