Aside from week 4 against the Browns, the Raiders haven’t been able to run the ball all year, and some have wondered why the coaching staff hasn’t been quicker to abandon the running game when it isn’t working.
The Athletic’s Vic Tafur talked about that dynamic this week on his latest podcast with co-hosts Ted Nguyen and Tashan Reed.
“I really don’t know what the conversation is between Luke Gesty and Antonio Pierce. I know Antonio wants to run the ball. And they’re both stubborn about it,” Tafur said on the Just Win podcast after Sunday’s game.
“But at this point, clearly to me, forget running the ball,” Tafur continued. “Obviously, that’s ideally what you want to do, but when you’re moving the ball, as they were, and Gardner’s rolling out, he’s finding guys… I’m sure the Chiefs made some adjustments. They took away Brock Bowers to some extent. But you’ve still got to throw in the ball… I thought that was a big, big mistake. I thought they got conservative.”
At Monday’s press conference, Tafur asked Pierce if there has been any consideration of moving away from the running game when it isn’t working.
Pierce was decisive, maybe even defensive, in his answer.
”Oh, no, we got to run the ball. Can’t do that,” Pierce said. “[We] can’t sit there and throw the ball 50 times, 40 times. We haven’t been successful doing it, so we’ll keep pounding again. On Wednesday, we’ll get back out there again… and figure out how to run the ball… [and] do whatever it takes to win the line of scrimmage.”
Looking ahead to the Cincinnati Bengals, it sounds like there’s a good chance the Raiders are going to double down on the running game once again.
Maybe they will eventually figure out how to run the ball effectively, but even if they don’t, it sounds like Pierce is willing to go down trying.
x: @raidersbeat
Antonio Pierce will not be the coach next year. So go ahead and continue your horrible decisions and prideful comments.
MAYBE, by season’s end, Pierce will realize that he doesn’t have either the OL nor RB to pound n ground like he wants to. They need to continue to rebuild the OL. They need better players at center and LG. Plus, they need to draft a talented RB.
Um, no. The OC is the biggest problem. By FAR. Mattison is good. Zeus is capable. Miller has become the biggest liability. The blocking scheme and play calling are making everything worse
Double down on the running game, throw a bomb on first down, quarterback sneak on first down, quadruple end around. JUST WIN A PHUCKING GAME
If Don’t make a change on the offensive side of the coaching staff you’re dooming yourself and the team. Deservedly so you should’ve done more research before hiring Getsy To begin with. And David should’ve done more research before hiring Telesco. Both of them need to go. And AP needs to take control of the defense and get the right players on the field.
Davis
If they wanted to run the ball they should have given jacobs a deal
WHAT RUNNING GAME…??? THE BEST RUNNING BACK AND ALL HIS BLOCKERS EITHER GOT CUT OR LET GO… THEN … THE NOW””” BEST RUNNING BACK IS NOT ON THE FIELD NOR DOES HE HAVE ANY BLOCKERS NO GRINDERS… JUST FLUFF..
WE NEED MIKE TICE BACK…THEN YOULL HAVE A RUNNING GAME BECAUSE YOULL HAVE A FRONT LINE BECAUSE HE KNOWS HOW TO FIND SOILDERS WHO LOVE TO GRIND AND HE SPECIALIZES IN RUNNING YOU OVER AND BEATING DOWN THE DEFENSE…
“running game” what a joke…. AND DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE QUARTERBACK…THANK GOD BRADY IS INVOLVED NOW…
PEACE…
Pierce is setting himself up to get fired. He doesn’t have the horses to run the ball. Luke Getsy play calling is pathetic, if he remains calling the offensive plays the rest of the season, both Luke and Pierce will be fired. The offensive line doesn’t have confidence in Luke’s run play calling. As soon as the offensive play is sent in , the players know it’s not going to work. Raiders loss to KC was all on the coach’s and Minshew. Desmond should QB The rest of the season.