Sunday Feels Like Paul Guenther’s Last Opportunity to Fix the Raiders Defense

Will Sunday be the last chance for defensive coordinator Paul Guenther to turn around the Raiders defense?

On Monday, the local press pool hammered home the narrative that the Raiders were not considering a change at defensive coordinator, but everyone knows Guenther cannot afford another disastrous effort from the defense – at least not to level of what happened last week.

Guenther barely walked away from the 2019 season with his job (more on that another time) and it wasn’t coincidence that Jon Gruden added Rod Marinelli in the offseason to coach the defensive line. In the case that Gruden decides to move on from Guenther, he has a qualified replacement already on staff.

The defensive players love Marinelli and it’s a safe assumption that the loss of Guenther wouldn’t send negative shockwaves through the locker room.

It also might be noteworthy that the Raiders didn’t pounce on a couple of defensive veterans familiar with Guenther’s scheme from Cincinnati. If you are the General Manager of the Raiders, how long are you going to watch your offseason defensive overhaul resemble a $93 million Brinks truck driving off a cliff?

So stay tuned.

Gruden and the coaches put a lot of time into fixing the defense this week after giving up 45 points (coming off a bye no less) to Tom Brady on Sunday. Maybe with all the extra attention, we’ll see a respectable result from the defense this week.

But if not, the company line on Guenther’s job status isn’t going to hold up much longer.

twitter: @raidersbeat

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17 thoughts on “Sunday Feels Like Paul Guenther’s Last Opportunity to Fix the Raiders Defense

  1. I disagree..not with the desire to dismiss him…I think it would be better to move on.

    But I disagree that he will be dismissed or that hes in any great danger. I think its wishful thinking sadly, particularly as long as the offence can keep them competitive.

  2. WRONG, WRONG, WRONG as long as Jon Gruden is the head coach of the Raiders, expect the same ineptitude and Paul Guenther to remain on this team. So Raiders fans, get ready for literally 7 more years of the bullshit.

  3. For what its worth: Rod Marinelli always had a top 10 defense as coordinator in Dallas, an immediate upgrade in my opinion

  4. Raiders lose more then winning with bad defense. We already seen what Paul Guenther has done, time for change.

  5. If the Raiders defense ends up playing bad again and Gruden does not make a change at DC, he is sabotaging our season and is not a Raider. Knock on wood on that!.

  6. Gruden had years to find a good DC before he returned to the NFL. He failed to do so and instead hired a turd who can not lead or teach football players.

    Guenther is a positions coach masquerading as a defensive coordinator. The media also has done a piss poor job calling Gruden out for this horrendous hiring mistake.

    If the D isn’t fixed this Sunday I fully expect Gruden to be blasted for his poor decision making in hiring and firing coaches.

  7. For us to win and have a 10 and 6 season, we’re going to have to stop somebody, there shouldn’t ever be a game that we played and the defense doesn’t touch the quarterback, or even a rushed pass from one , let’s fix this problem!!!!

  8. FIRE HIM!!!!! It’s not going to change his defense is compete trash look at the Bengals when he was there. Hell ken Norton Jr is looking better than him

  9. I know it’s fashionable to blame coordinators when things are going bad, and they do have partial responsibility, but I watch every game and I saw a lot of plays that were there to be made and defenders just flat out wiffed on tackles or were caught out of position to make a play. So you can change coordinators until you’re blue in the face but if a player goes to tackle someone for a loss or no gain and then suddenly that person is running 15 yards down field for a first down I don’t understand how that’s Gunther’s fault! Or if a DB misses and assignment and gets burned for a TD or big gain when the play called would have worked had the player been where he was supposed to be!

  10. Time for a change from top to bottom…failure to act properly breeds results in results across the board. Gruden and Mayock protect failing coaches and players; so what does that say to the team that watches and learns the truth about their leaders of doom and gloom. Trades are available, transitions in personnel is available, opportunities to change the total atmosphere in the locker room is available as well.
    We’ve had enough cheerleading and rah-rah from Gruden and company…it’s time to put up or shut up! Every team in the league except the losers, do everything possible on each and every day to help their team become winners! It’s time fir Gruden to earn that 10 million, Mayock to live up to his creed, and Guenther to draw unemployment! We need a change now! Let’s get going guys…go Raiders!!!
    Coach L

  11. People keep talking about Marinelli replacing Guenther. Guenther’s defense would be better if his defensive line coach, can get the defensive line to get more pressure.
    The defensive line got better personnel this season, but took two steps backwards. What make you think he will do any better as DC?

  12. Even if the players love Marinelli, what has he done to improve the defensive line play? The one player who came in ( Collins ) to improve our line hasn’t done anything. It was said, that Arden Key improved in practice over the off season. He hasn’t done anything either. Not sure Marinelli is our answer either. I thought Buckner improved our line play as the season progressed last year. We seem to be going backward now. As for Guenther, he should definitely be in his last season as a Raider.

  13. As with any job you have to perform. If you dont, you dont receive raises or bonuses and eventually get fired.In the NFL there’s moor pressure to perform because employees are making MILLIONS. Good patience Jon but Gunther has to go before window closes on the RAIDERS.

  14. Our Raider Defense has consistently has been bad b4 & after gunther…. The defense has allowed a consistent amount of high pts. to opposing teams… Its time for a change! Give someone else a chance to make the Raider Defence once again!

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