Raiders' Josh McDaniels Wednesday Silver and Black Update

Las Vegas Raiders Coach Josh McDaniels took time to offer his Wednesday update on the state of the team, and look ahead to the Los Angeles Chargers

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders (4-7) are ready to take on the Los Angles Chargers (6-5) this weekend as they return to Allegiant Stadium.

Moments ago, Josh McDaniels talked about the state of the franchise and looked ahead to this weekend.

You can watch the entire press conference below, and read the transcript as well:

Head Coach Josh McDaniels

Opening Statement: “Obviously onto the Chargers. Just watching them, I think it's been really impressive to see how they've handled their issues relative to the injuries that they've gone through. I think Tom [Telesco] and Brandon [Staley] have done a great job of putting that team together. The depth of their roster has really been challenged and they've used a lot of people, and they've gone in there and played good football. I don't say it's a completely different team, but there are some changes from the first time we played them three months ago to now. So a lot of our focus is going to be on just getting familiar with the people who we're going to be lined up against, which is a little different than the first game. So, they are an explosive team in all three phases, excellent in the kicking game, and have as good of a punter as we're going to see. They've used three kickers and don't miss any kicks. [DeAndre] Carter is a dangerous returner. Offensively, obviously where do you want to start? [Justin] Herbert, excellent, continues to do it at a high level and I'm talking about basically everything in terms of quarterback play. [Austin] Ekeler, 80 catches, leads league in yards after catch, hard to tackle, a touchdown-maker obviously, scores a lot of points every year he's in the league -- and I know they're getting some of they're receiving weapons back, too. So, it will be a big challenge for us on defense. And then defensively, [Khalil] Mack gave us fits in the first game, Derwin James [Jr.] all over the field, as good as safety as we see, no doubt about it -- really good blitzer, good in coverage, finds the ball, gets it off of people, got it off Arizona the other day. They've played a lot of bodies on defense, which I guess is a tribute to Brandon and what he's been able to do with the depth on the roster. So, they have a lot of good football players. Big, big challenge in all three phases."

Q: When you're putting together your weekly practice schedule together especially this time of year, what's the calculus on when to actually practice, have a walk-through like you're doing today? And has that changed over the years when your starting to think more above the shoulders than the physical part of it?

Coach McDaniels: "Yeah, I think you've just got to know where your teams at and what they need. I think that the healthier you are -- the more you need contact, then you start using the padded days a little bit more. I think just for our team, we had an earlier bye. So, whenever you have an earlier bye, you've just got to make sure you kind of look at the whole season in totality and try to figure out where you might be able to catch up on a little bit of rest/recovery. So, this is kind of a stretch that we kind of had ear-marked. We know the Thursday game is coming up next week, so we're just trying to keep our team as fresh as we can. We've gone through some different things where we've had some different bodies in there. So, the longer days with the walk-throughs have helped us get just mental reps and communication nailed down. We certainly don't use them every week, but it's been helpful for us I'd say the last couple of weeks here."

Q: Are the players involved in that at all?

Coach McDaniels: "Yeah, I'm definitely aware of how they feel and where they're at. I try to take in as much information as you can from the staff and the players and hopefully make the right decision for the team every week."

Q: In the process of rebuilding a culture and rebuilding a franchise. How important is it to teach the guys that each week they compete against themselves, it has nothing to do with the opponent?

Coach McDaniels: "We're always seeking our own best performance. This morning we watched the Seattle stuff and tried to get that cleared up, and we learned a lot from it. And the reason we're doing that is because we're seeking progress. So, I think when you're consistently trying to do that, I think that you keep the focus on your play and how well you're doing and what you can do better. And hopefully that's where it stays, because obviously we're going to reach our best results when every player is playing at the best level that he can. So, we'll continue to try to do that every week and not necessarily worry about -- look, they're all good in my mind. Every opponent we play is different, every opponent we play presents significant challenges in different ways, and this one happens to be a division opponent. So, we're definitely focused on what we can do better and obviously trying to get familiar with the team we're playing this week."

Q: There are traits with quarterbacks who have fourth-quarter drives or game-winning drives, the obvious traits. What are some intangibles that we would not see that you would know in guys like that who are good at things like that?

Coach McDaniels: "I mean you have to be able to -- it takes mental toughness. It takes, I'd say supreme focus on where you're at in the game and what you need to do. Understanding how the game is being played, because in some games quarterbacks can hold the ball longer, sometimes it might need to get out of their hands a little quicker depending on how the rush has been. Knowing your own personnel, knowing how the defense is playing you, where you might be able to attack and who to go to with the football. I just think there's a poise and an understanding of where you're at in time and space that allows those people to really slow their heartbeat down and perform their best at the very end under the most pressure -- block out crowd noise, block out all the other stuff that's going on and just focus on trying to make one good play after another. And the guys who do it the best seem to be able to do that week after week. [Justin] Herbert is, obviously in that category. We've seen him do it a number of times. They've trailed in a lot of games this year, and he's brought him back, and nobody has done that more in the last few years than he has."

Q: A couple of weeks ago in Denver afterward, Josh Jacobs said that he felt like they were loading the box in crucial situations. And he went to Davante Adams and said to the receivers: 'Hey, there's gonna be some opportunities for you.' Then last week, it was kind of the exact opposite. We heard multiple guys say that they were doubling Davante to open up Josh. I know you've always consistently said that the defense gets a vote on things, but has it been even more pronounced with the season those two guys are having in creating opportunities for each other?

Coach McDaniels: "I think we've seen a healthy dose of honestly from both. Look, I don't think any defensive coordinator or coach anymore just stays in one thing for too long. I think if that happens, hopefully you're good enough to adjust to it and make some plays. But we've seen a lot of different things, and certainly players who are producing at a high rate. They get a lot of attention. So, there's a lot of different ways to do that. I'd say every week we've probably seen a different stab at that, and we're doing the same thing on defense. We're trying to figure out how do we slow down [Keenan] Allen and [Mike] Williams and [Austin] Ekeler and [Justin] Herbert and those kinds of things. So, it's a great challenge every week. I think our players are really learning how that works. They try to take this away and we kind of try to do this. And then they take this away, and we've got to try to do something else. So, there's a game within the game. Sometimes it doesn't declare until the game is a quarter, quarter and a half into it, and then you kind of figure out kind of what the plan is that you're going to see all day. We've got smart guys. Those two guys you just mentioned, they're very adept at understanding the way the game is going and how that presents opportunities for themselves."

Q: Josh Jacobs was named the AFC Offensive Player of the Week today. When you went back and looked at the tape from Sunday, did anything jump out even more than what you saw in person on Sunday?

Coach McDaniels: "Yeah, his effort, toughness I thought stood out obviously in the running game. I thought he did some good things in the passing game, and he's improving. I think he's improving his repertoire, he's improving his route tree. He catches the ball very well obviously, and he did some things in terms of the little things in the game that probably don't get discussed a whole lot -- blitz pickup. They tried to get us a couple of times, and he had his eyes where they should have been, and he got his job done. I thought he did a great job on the flea flicker of hanging in there, and we call it: 'He took one for the team.' When he tossed it back to Derek [Carr], obviously he got he got walloped pretty good. But little things like that, he's unselfish. He'll do whatever you ask him to do. So, if it's blitz pick-up 10-to-15 times a game, he'll do it. Catch passes, block, chip, it doesn't make any difference to him, he just wants to win. I think that's the greatest trait he has is whatever you ask him to do, if it can help the team win, he's all in."

Q: It’s been reported that Josh Jacobs might not practice that much this week. Are you guys just kind of being cautious with this injury?

Coach McDaniels: “I don't know where the report came from. Obviously, you didn't hear it from me. So, I'm eager to see this week go, and like I said, I'm hopeful that we'll have a full group out there. But I mean, look, this time of the year, you guys know, we're closing in on December here and I don't know that there's any player in the locker room who doesn't feel like he's got something, you know what I mean? And so, that's what makes these guys great, is they fight through a lot of stuff, and they spend a lot of time and effort to get themselves ready to go every week. He's obviously at the top of the chart in terms of what he does, so I'm expecting us to have a shot to have a full group here.”

Q: What went into the decision for you and your coaching staff to sign Tyler Hall to the active roster?

Coach McDaniels: “Yeah, I just felt like it was the right time -- I mean, at this point, with (Anthony Averett) going down again, Tyler has been up a couple of times and rather than keep him on the practice squad and elevate him again, I think he's done enough to earn the right to be on the on the roster. He's played in the last few games, and that would be the intention going forward. So, credit him and what he's been able to do, and just like the way he's competed and played. We’ll expect the same from him this week.”

Q: Do you feel Chandler Jones kind of turned a corner last week? And how important is he to have that kind of production for your defense to succeed?

Coach McDaniels: “Yeah, you guys have heard me say it all year, I think Chandler's definitely done a lot of good things all year long. It’s just the No. 1 everybody wants to point to you all the time, and I get it. I understand that. But I think he's been disruptive. I think he's played very well in the running game. He's played with great effort and toughness. It's been huge for just our overall group as a whole. He’s been out there every game, every day. So, I think Chandler's performance mirrored some of the ones that he's had recently. He's been disruptive, created some issues for other people to make plays. And look, I mean, this time of the year, we need everybody to play their best. I think Chandler is definitely trying to do that every week, and I think that's what our group is going to try to do.”

Q: Any update on Andrew Billings? And then Nate Hobbs, do you expect him to practice at all this week?

Coach McDaniels: “I'm hopeful that Nate will be. Like I said, that was the intent last week, but he fell ill. So, Nate's feeling better, and hopefully that will take form here this week. AB [Andrew Billings] seems to be heading in the right direction, too. So, again, we probably won't know a whole lot on some of these guys until at least tomorrow, based on what we're doing today and how we're going to kind of go through this this day today. But like I said, I think we have a lot of guys headed in the right direction.”

Q: Andrew Billings and Bilal Nichols, their presence seems to have been felt a lot the past few weeks. Is it almost as easy as saying that bringing in Jerry Tillery, and what he's brought to the table, has kind of completed that group?

Coach McDaniels: “I think he's complimented them. I don't know if completed is the word I would use there, but I think Jerry's obviously complimented them. I thought Kyle Peko stepped up and made some plays in there, too. You know, the fresher those guys are, the better they play. I thought they made some impactful plays in the running game. I thought they made some impactful plays in the pass rush. There's nothing that you'd like more as a coach than fresh defensive linemen, so the fresher we can keep them, the better they play. I think that group, like I said, has been complimented with Jerry's presence and what he does, and we're hopeful that we're going to continue to get better because we've only really been together for a few weeks now.”

Q: With Anthony Averett out for the foreseeable future, how good will it be to have Nate Hobbs back given his versatility to play inside?

Coach McDaniels: "Important. Nate [Hobbs] is a good player period, so it would have been great to have Nate with Anthony [Averett]. And now that Anthony has an injury, I think it's the same thing. But getting Nate back, a player of his caliber and toughness and energy and the way he plays and competes, so I'm excited to have an opportunity to hopefully get him back this week, and I know he is too."

Q: You mentioned Tyler Hall a little bit, but I wanted to get more of a take on what you've really seen from him that stood out to you that you think can really be an asset to the team?

Coach McDaniels: "Nothing has been too big for him, and it starts with communication and working with the other guys in the secondary and the linebacking corps and making sure that you're where you're supposed to be. And I think he's done a decent job of that. That has kind of that stood out even before we elevated him. He understands the game plan, he understands his role, what we're asking him to do. He tries to play his assignment the way he's been coached to play it, which I love. He competes, he tackles, he competes in coverage, and he plays hard. So, for a young guy like that he brings some speed and some burst to our defense and some toughness, and like I said, there's a maturity to him. Even though he's a young player, there's a maturity to him. When he's listening to the call, he's hearing the communication from the safeties, he's locked into it, and he's rarely made mistakes relative to pre-snap decisions. So again, that's the way you earn playing time, you get an opportunity, and you make the most of it, and then you earn more, and he's a good example of that."

Q: I know it didn't end up being a factor in the game, but of Ameer Abdullah's celebration obviously wasn't intentional. Was there a discussion after the game?

Coach McDaniels: "Yeah, we talked. I mean look, Ameer [Abdullah] would never disrespect anybody. We've seen him do that before after touchdowns, and I don't really get much into telling guys what to do when they score. But I think just being smart, making sure that you're not around anybody from the other team, obviously that was the message, and our players understand that. We don't want to hurt ourselves. We ended up kicking off from the 20–25-yard line whatever it was, and that's tough on the kickoff team. Ameer is an unselfish guy, he would never do that intentionally, but we've addressed those kinds of things, because whether it's on the extra-point team after you score a touchdown, celebration penalty, whatever it is, it hurts somebody else. So, hopefully we don't have any more of those."

Q: Does it feel like Ameer is really getting his groove in the kick return game?

Coach McDaniels: "Yeah, I mean Ameer is contributing in a lot of ways. Obviously, you guys see him as a kick returner, and there are statistics that go with that, but he's playing gunner, he's running down on the kickoff team, scores a touchdown on third down, converts few other third downs, playing a little bit more of a role on offense as the season has gone on. So, he's a great teammate, unselfish, obviously he's got skill, makes some impactful plays in the kicking game and on offense. I love having Ameer, and like I said, he's that guy who no matter what you tell him to do, he's going to do it, and he wants to help the team in any way that he can. So, I think he's a really good example for the rest of our guys."

Q: I know you're focused on this week and it's a week away, but Darren [Waller] and Hunter [Renfrow] next week will be eligible. Do you think they're close enough to start thinking about that next week?

Coach McDaniels: "I think it's definitely close enough. It's just I'd say timing and the fact that that week is what it is, we'll have to make a decision here that's -- I'd say we have to factor in a lot of things here. Sometimes it's hard to play guys who haven't had any chance to practice. It's the same thing we did with Hobbs last week. It's hard to say he's going to play and he hasn't practiced in a month and a half. So, you don't want to do a disservice to the player. So yeah, they're getting closer, no doubt. They're working really hard to get back as soon as they can. We're aware of the clock, and we'll have to make a smart decision when that time comes."

The Raiders' game on Sunday is in Las Vegas at Allegiant Stadium. It kicks off at 4:25 p.m. EST/1:25 p.m. PST. You can see that game on CBS.

Watch the Silver and Black live when you get your Raiders tickets from SI Tickets HERE

Please make sure you tell us your thoughts when you like our Facebook Page WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

Want to talk about this? Want to air your opinion about all things Las Vegas Raiders? Maybe you like to talk about other sports that aren't Silver and Black related? We got your back. Join our 100% FREE message board, a brand new option, when you CLICK RIGHT HERE.