Raiders' McDaniels Final Thoughts Before 49ers

Moments ago, the Las Vegas Raiders' Coach Josh McDaniels gave his final thought on the Silver and Black ahead of Sunday's game against the San Francisco 49ers.

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have had a busy week.  They have moved on from Derek Carr and still have their playoff hopes on life support.

Coach Josh McDaniels addressed the state of his team moments ago and looked ahead to this weekend against the San Francisco 49ers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Below is the entire press conference, and you can read the transcript:

Head Coach Josh McDaniels

Opening Statement: “One roster update, Rock Ya-Sin obviously was put on IR, so you guys know that now. We're in our third day here and this team [the 49ers] is, as I mentioned the other day, probably as good top-to-bottom in all three phases as we've played. There's really, I'd say, very, very few if any weaknesses on this team relative to their roster. The way they play, they do a lot of things right, they really do. They're well coached, and like I said the other day, I mean, the way they've put this team together, their depth has been challenged at times but obviously their depth has really done a good job for them. So, a number of years into their process there with John [Lynch] and Kyle [Shanahan] and you can see the way they want to play, it stands out and jumps out on the film – their philosophy and how they do things. And you can tell that their guys know exactly what they want them to do. So, I'm extremely impressed. I've always been impressed. I think Kyle's obviously one of the elite coaches in this league and has been for a long time, and as I mentioned the other day, DeMeco [Ryans] is doing a tremendous job defensively. They're one of the top teams in the league in the kicking game. So, top to bottom this is a great challenge and our guys have really poured into them. You only get so many opportunities a year to really kind of deal with teams like this, and not a team that we know very well, but I'd say over the last three or four days here we've really gotten to know them and have a ton of respect for what they do and how they play, and are eager for the challenge on Sunday."

Q: When you look at things from a bigger picture standpoint and you look at the 49ers and how they are built. Is that something that is OK to look at and try to emulate?

Coach McDaniels: “Yeah, I mean, they did it their way. And I think that any time you take on an opportunity like this, you have a vision for what you eventually want it to get to. It's very difficult to get to that right away because you're spending a lot of time teaching everybody. And so, I think that what they've been able to do over a number of years is establish the type of people that they're looking for, establish the way they want to play in all three phases. And I think by now, now you see the fruits of the labor on the field. And like I said, there are very few times where you're watching them where it looks like they're not connected perfectly. They've got 11 guys on the field who know what's being asked of them and they do it very well. So, it's a team. Again, I know that two guys have really done a great job of putting that group together and you can see their philosophy kind of play out, and of course you want to have that opportunity to develop your own program and process and culture to the point where you can see it in every phase, in every play."

Q: When you talked to the media last, you obviously made a pretty major announcement. How did you feel the team kind of responded the last couple days?

Coach McDaniels: “The way that they've responded to everything all year. They're mature. I think we have a high-character group. And again, we said it the other day – I mean, relationships are relationships. The human side of this is real. And so, you're allowed to feel however you feel about people, and I think we all have a job to do. I think they've done a tremendous job this week of preparing each day. Practice has been good, their energy has been tremendous, and their attitude is great. So, that's what I would've expected them to do, and that's what they've done."

Q: You talked to Derek Carr before you came here. You like him, he likes you, and you guys are respectful of each other. Is making those decisions the worst part about coaching?

Coach McDaniels: “Probably. And I think the hard part is that when you do it long enough, you ultimately end up making decisions that are really strictly only about football or performance, but not really about the way you feel about the person as a human being. And so, I think as a younger guy I would sit in here and say I probably had a harder time understanding that dynamic because you wrap everything up into the conversation that you're involved in. But as I've been around long enough to see people come and go, and relationships sustain themselves beyond that, that's up to the two people. It really is. And we've cut players, traded players, released players, or people have retired, coaches have been fired. I've been fired. And you still have great relationships with the people who you worked for, or you worked with. And again, I think that's a personal choice. I choose to invest in the relationships with those people and if something has to be done from a business perspective, or somebody makes a choice to move in a different direction, you have to respect that and move on. But it doesn't necessarily have to affect your relationship."

Q: I know people have said, "Well, Josh knows Stidham," but you haven't known him this way, starting a game, preparing for a game as the starter. What have you seen so far this week, and what are you curious about on Sunday?

Coach McDaniels: “I've seen a guy really eager for his opportunity. Obviously, he should be excited. This is, as he mentioned the other day, this is an opportunity that doesn't come along easily. So, I'm excited for him personally. I think he's done a good job of handling practice the last two days. I think the team has done a tremendous job of really working with him. And look, our job is to try to help him have a productive day and do the things that he needs to do at the quarterback position to help us win. So, we're all hard at work at that. Jarrett [Stidham] is definitely hard at work at it. I have no delusions of grandeur in terms of like: 'Well, this is going to be perfect.' I mean, it wouldn't matter who you're playing with, against this defense it isn't going to be perfect. But we're going to strive to do the best we can each time out there, and he's put in a great week's work so far, and I'm sure we'll have another good day today. I know mentally he's ready to go, physically he's ready to go, and maybe you have to contain the emotions a little bit for him, but that part once you get into the game, you get hit a little bit, hopefully he'll settle in and play good football."

Q: Jarrett Stidham steps out there with the league's leading rusher behind him and then the league leader in touchdown receptions next to him. Despite some of the struggles this year, what kind of standard have Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams set with their performances this year?

Coach McDaniels: “They've been tremendous individually, but I also think that they would be the first people to tell you that obviously their success is a product of a lot of people helping them do it right. They obviously have earned the accolades they received this year. I think those are two good players that you want on your team. With a quarterback facilitating the ball to those people, along with the other guys who are out there with them, I think that's what we'll try to get done. I know that those two guys are eager to play, and this is an interesting opportunity for all of us to really compete against a unit that I think obviously right now ranks as the best in the league. They certainly are playing like it, and it's a great opportunity, a great challenge for everybody."

Q: Besides winning the game, what's the biggest attribute that you want to see from your team moving forward out of this game?

Coach McDaniels: “I just think they've competed all year and I think that's really the responsibility of each individual here, is to prepare ourselves to win, prepare ourselves to perform the best we can in our job and our role. We can't do the other person's job or role, but we're going to go out there and compete as hard as we can to win a football game. And, again, we know there's some other factors at play relative to the overall outcome of the season and all that, and we can't control those things. So, I expect what they've given us all year, which is a hell of a day's work, and they compete their butt off whether it's practice or in the game. We’ll finish our preparation here in the next 48 hours and go to the stadium Sunday ready to attack the day.”

Q: San Francisco is physical in every phase of the game. Is that something that you want to see the Raiders become?

Coach McDaniels: “Yeah, and I think we've started to establish that in all three phases, but there's no question this team is a physical football team that we're getting ready to play. That's their philosophy, that's the way they want to play, that's the way they want to win. That's the way they believe in winning and playing. And so, they're aggressive and physical in their coverage units. They do a really good job. Their returner is tremendous, and obviously their defensive front and offensive line they've invested in significantly over time to get up to where it is. A number of first round draft picks on the defensive front and the same thing on the offensive line, so it clearly stands out as their style of play. You don't have to watch long before you really realize that that's what it's going to be.”

The Raiders return to action Sunday, on New Year's Day, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas versus the San Francisco 49ers. That game kicks off at 4:05 p.m. EST/1:05 p.m. PST and can be seen on FOX.

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