In our latest episode of the Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast we discuss the fate of Antonio Pierce, and much more around the Silver and Black.
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00:00 Hey everybody, this is Hondo Carpenter from Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas
00:06 Raiders Insider Podcast.
00:08 I am your Raiders beat writer.
00:10 Right here is my assistant beat writer, one of my favorite human beings in the world.
00:15 He is the absolute terrific writer.
00:19 He's a troubadour.
00:20 He's a videographer.
00:22 This guy can do it all.
00:23 Matter of fact, if he was a baseball player, they would simply just say that he was a five
00:28 fold player.
00:30 Isn't it called a five?
00:32 I'm not a baseball guy.
00:33 I believe so.
00:34 I'll tell you, I don't have many regrets in life, but quitting baseball when I was in
00:38 fourth grade is definitely up there with them.
00:40 I should have stuck with it.
00:41 That would have been a smart one.
00:42 No, it's a five tool player.
00:43 That's it.
00:44 Five tool, yes, that is what it is.
00:45 Yes, sir.
00:46 Five fold is a spiritual thing, not a thing.
00:50 All right, my fault.
00:51 So anyways, a five tool journalist.
00:54 This guy is so good.
00:55 The great Zeke Trezevant, I just love and appreciate it, Zeke.
00:59 Zeke, you need to know as Thanksgiving is here and upon us, we're in that season.
01:04 I'm so thankful for you.
01:05 I'm so thankful for your wife, Jasmine.
01:07 I'm so glad that you're part of our team.
01:09 I just think the world of you and I hope you know that.
01:12 Hey, likewise, Hondo.
01:13 Again, in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I'm thankful.
01:16 I'm grateful for everything, man, for the opportunity.
01:19 I know I've said it, but I don't feel like I can say it enough.
01:22 Thank you for the opportunity and thank you to the Raiders for the opportunity as well,
01:26 man.
01:27 Thank you to everyone.
01:28 Really a dream come true.
01:29 All right, so let's dig right into it.
01:33 There's a lot for the Raider nation to be thankful about right now.
01:40 Let's just start with AP.
01:43 I think a lot of people are not ... I have said that you don't come to the Raiders to
01:50 learn how to be a head coach.
01:53 I'm a guy that's always ... I'm nervous.
01:57 I think it's that way with big time college jobs as well.
02:00 There are some places you need to go other places and learn the intricacies of being
02:04 a head coach.
02:06 Having said that, I was an advocate for Basacia and I'm an advocate for Antonio to get this
02:13 job because they're getting head coaching experience and I think he's doing well.
02:18 Rookie coaches are going to make rookie mistakes.
02:20 It's just the name of the game.
02:22 Rookie offensive coordinators, rookie quarterbacks.
02:24 I love the way AP is handling himself.
02:27 I love the way he's handling the team.
02:29 I loved one of his quotes earlier this week in a press conference when they talked about
02:33 who the team's going to be changing a little bit this week because of the holiday.
02:38 He goes, "We've changed every week for three weeks and I've been the head coach."
02:41 I love the way he's doing it.
02:43 Zeke, your thoughts?
02:44 100%.
02:45 I think in most cases, I agree with you completely in terms of the Raiders, that's not a spot
02:50 that you want to learn how to be a head coach.
02:52 But I also look at the other side of everything and I say, "Hey, you look at AP and just the
02:56 situation that he was put in and to be able to come out on the other side of that and
03:00 they actually be doing pretty well."
03:02 Although it's not the position to learn in, I think all things considered, considering
03:06 the situation that was at hand, he's done an admirable job.
03:09 I also think him being a former player, and again, when he first started, I was like,
03:13 "Oh, it plays a part in it," but it doesn't necessarily play that big of a part in it.
03:16 Week by week, I'm starting to feel like him being a former player plays a huge part in
03:20 it.
03:21 And not just how the team reacts to him, but the fact that although he is a rookie head
03:25 coach, he's a lot less of a rookie head coach than most rookie head coaches because of that
03:29 playing experience.
03:30 I mean, you lead a defense to a Super Bowl victory, you're not just a regular person
03:35 that's stepping into a head coaching position.
03:37 So he's a little bit further ahead.
03:39 He's not necessarily a rookie, like they keep saying about Aiden.
03:41 Aiden's not a rookie.
03:42 Kind of the same with AP, in my opinion.
03:44 So he's done a great job.
03:46 The players responded to him.
03:47 I honestly think Miami, if you weren't sure if this team was for real or not, I think
03:52 how they played in Miami basically proved that they were for real.
03:56 And Vic, this is the last thing I want to say about Miami, then we're going to turn
04:00 to the Chiefs.
04:01 But this is something that I don't think is getting enough discussion.
04:09 Miami had a bye week, and Vic Fangio, one of the best defensive coordinators in the
04:15 National Football League, they had things that they have not done on tape that they
04:19 threw at Aiden he had not seen before.
04:22 And basically the decision is, "All right, we're not going to be able to do what we want
04:25 to do.
04:26 Let's scrap it, play ugly, and try to get the win."
04:30 And on their last drive, they were playing to win a football game.
04:33 I am 100% convinced.
04:35 I don't believe he would say it publicly, but I believe I know this.
04:40 AP would have went for two.
04:43 - 100%.
04:44 Yes, sir.
04:45 Yes, sir.
04:46 - Wait, wait, wait.
04:47 Now, see, I'm mad at you, because now you're doing the old guy answers.
04:52 100%.
04:53 It's 100.
04:54 - You know what, honey?
04:55 Listen.
04:56 I'm sorry.
04:57 I'm sorry.
04:58 I'm sorry I got so excited there, but I was thinking, I'm like, "Yo, if you score, he's
05:02 going to go for two."
05:03 I remember during the game, I'm like, "There's no way he's kicking to go and still try to
05:06 outscore Miami again."
05:08 No, he was going to go.
05:09 I'm sorry to cut you off, but yes, I agree 100%.
05:11 - Oh, my God.
05:12 I don't care if you cut me off.
05:14 I've cut you off before.
05:15 I'm laughing, because you said 100%, and now I say 100%.
05:19 - 100.
05:20 We've switched places.
05:21 - All right.
05:24 Now, I want to get into this team a lot.
05:32 I had my weekly question and answer article this week, and did it send some people through
05:41 the roof.
05:42 Somebody had told me, Mark Davis, that they beat the Chief this week and should come in
05:47 with an actual man rolling Cuban cigars.
05:51 I said, "No, I think you should come in and say the interim tag is off."
05:56 I had a ton of people email me.
05:58 I don't even know how many now.
06:00 I said, "Well, I read they can't give him the job because of interviewing and Rooney
06:06 rules, and I want everyone to hear me."
06:08 I didn't see that report.
06:10 No one sent it to me, and I don't know who wrote it, so I'm not picking on the author.
06:16 I thought that was wrong, and so yesterday, I called an NFC general manager, and I said,
06:23 "If the Raiders want to keep Antonio Pierce, do they have to go through all the interviewing
06:29 and all that process?"
06:31 He said, "No, he's an interim in the building."
06:34 Boom.
06:35 Hire him, and it's over.
06:37 Whoever wrote that, I'm sure they're a good person.
06:41 Whatever.
06:42 I'm just telling you, I was right.
06:45 They can go hire him.
06:46 If he beats the Chief, I want to see Mark Davis go walking in like he walked out on
06:51 that one Sunday night game.
06:54 I think it was the Jets.
06:55 No, it was the Giants game.
06:58 He came walking out of the tunnel like Ric Flair.
07:03 I just want to see Mark Davis go over, grab the mic in front of the entire stadium, and
07:10 say, "Hey, hey, hold up.
07:11 Hold up.
07:12 Don't go in the tunnel yet."
07:13 The whole place stopped.
07:14 Mark Davis goes, "Hey, Pete."
07:17 No interim.
07:18 That's our coach.
07:19 He just walked away.
07:20 He dropped the mic.
07:21 Can you imagine how the players would respond to that?
07:24 You just beat Kansas City, and then they come, and then Mark Davis does that.
07:29 You want to talk about getting those guys going for the rest of the season.
07:32 That's huge.
07:33 Then you've got to think about it.
07:34 Just removing the interim tag off of AP, that takes a whole lot of thinking out of Mark
07:37 Davis' hands.
07:38 There's no way to outthink yourself on this one.
07:40 Nobody's going to get mad, especially if these guys keep playing well.
07:43 No one's really going to get mad if you just go ahead and take that interim tag off.
07:46 That's better than going through the whole interview process, getting rid of AP, and
07:49 possibly choosing wrong and being on the wrong direction for the next three, four years.
07:53 I think it makes sense to take the interim off, especially if they win against the Chiefs.
07:58 Now I need everybody to listen, because I've been telling you I have a long-form article
08:02 coming on Monday.
08:03 Zeke, you know what it's about.
08:06 I have been doing a ton of research into this article.
08:11 It's going to be Tuesday now, because we have an article that needs to come before it to
08:17 set the stage for it.
08:21 That big long-form article is coming on Tuesday, and there's going to be a huge article coming
08:25 on Monday.
08:27 The one on Monday is going to be the case for Mark Davis and how he needs to handle
08:36 this process moving forward, and what we're hearing about how he's going to handle it.
08:41 That's going to be Monday.
08:43 Then Tuesday is that deep long-form article.
08:45 Zeke, you know what I've been working on.
08:47 The fans are going to love this, are they not?
08:49 I think it's going to probably make them mad.
08:53 They're going to be interested either way.
08:54 It's going to keep them captivated in terms of what's coming.
08:56 I think the information that you're going to be bringing is going to be something that
09:00 most of Raider Nation is going to be interested in one way or the other in what's happening.
09:04 I'm excited as well.
09:05 All right.
09:06 Zeke, I want to turn to this weekend.
09:11 You know I have 10 criteria of which I always pick a game.
09:18 This to me, this game is super close.
09:23 All the respect in the world to the Chiefs.
09:24 They're the Super Bowl champions.
09:27 To be the man, you've got to beat the man.
09:32 Their wide receiver core is not good.
09:34 I don't consider Kelsey part of the receiving core, even though he receives, he's a tight
09:38 end.
09:39 A lot of drops, a lot of self-inflicted penalties that hurt themselves.
09:46 Their defense is their calling card this year.
09:53 The only reason I'm ... Before it was, I think the Raiders lose this game.
10:01 As of right now, I still do.
10:05 But a lot of people sold their tickets before the regime change.
10:11 I think the crowd being so overwhelmingly Chiefs is going to be the difference in the
10:19 ball game.
10:21 I think it's going to be close.
10:23 If the Raiders get to 21 points, I think they win the football game.
10:29 This one's going to be tight, much tighter than I thought.
10:33 The Raider defense is better than I thought that they were.
10:37 The Raider offense I think is going to be better.
10:39 I think they learned a lot about themselves in Minnesota.
10:42 I think they learned some things they could have done differently.
10:45 They've got another week in the bag.
10:48 I think this one is so close.
10:50 If we get in there and it's a huge Raider crowd, I think the Raiders win it.
10:54 If it's the Chiefs crowd that I think it's going to be, I think the Chiefs do.
10:57 To me, this one's so close.
10:58 I'm going to give my official prediction on Saturday or Sunday, but your thoughts.
11:04 I predicted the Raiders to win this one at home.
11:07 You did?
11:08 Yeah.
11:09 I didn't want to be that guy that's picking the team favorite to win every week of the
11:13 season.
11:14 To me, that's not.
11:15 We worked too hard for that.
11:16 Also, I just feel like coming off that Miami game, heading into last week, I said I thought
11:21 that Miami game was going to be a seven-point loss, and that's what it was.
11:24 To me, that was confirmation that these guys are a better team.
11:27 They're a different team.
11:28 I think they have a chance to go out and beat the Chiefs.
11:30 The Chiefs are just ... Are they the Chiefs?
11:32 Yes.
11:33 You've got to give them that respect.
11:34 They're the champions, et cetera.
11:35 At the end of the day, we've watched this Chiefs team struggle on offense for the first
11:39 time in a few years under a new offensive coordinator.
11:42 I think anything is possible.
11:43 The crowd will obviously play a part in it, but I think to a certain degree, as much as
11:48 Antonio Pierce and the Raiders want the black hole to be a great, tough place to play for
11:52 opponents, I think they're almost used to opponents' crowds taking over.
11:56 At this point, this team, I think they're going to feed off of that, and I think they're
12:00 going to go ahead and win this game.
12:02 What's your score?
12:04 I know it.
12:05 Tell everybody your score.
12:06 21-17, I think is what I sent to you.
12:08 Basically, I think they can go out there and essentially do what the Eagles did.
12:13 It's not like the Eagles went out there and dropped 40 points the other night.
12:16 They played a slugfest, and they won.
12:19 As they showed in Miami, a slugfest is exactly what the Raiders want to do.
12:23 They don't want to go out there and try to outscore you 40, 30 points a game.
12:25 That's not what they want to do.
12:26 They want to slow the game down, just like the Eagles did.
12:28 They want to play ugly.
12:29 They want to be physical.
12:31 I think that's what they do.
12:32 I think they win the game.
12:34 I think this is going to be a big game for Josh.
12:41 I'm struggling with this pick.
12:42 I really am.
12:43 This is much more difficult for me than I ever thought it would be.
12:46 Listen, when we talked a few weeks ago, you were like, "Hey, Chiefs, right?"
12:53 I think things have changed in the last couple of weeks that it does make it tough.
12:56 When I say changed, that's a few extra weeks of watching the Chiefs play and watching the
13:01 Raiders play.
13:02 It's a little bit different now.
13:04 You and I have a different perspective because we're so close to it.
13:09 We see the little things Antonio's doing that fans don't.
13:13 We get the nuances.
13:16 I was asked by someone, and I think you'll appreciate this one.
13:22 They said to me, "Do you think the players like AP, or is it just show?"
13:27 I said, "They don't like them.
13:31 They love them.
13:32 It is Rich Versace-ish."
13:33 Agree or disagree?
13:37 Listen, I agree.
13:39 To that point, I can't remember his exact words, but Max Crosby, he alluded to that
13:46 after the game.
13:47 He more or less said, "Look at how we're playing.
13:49 Yeah, we lost, but look at the last three weeks.
13:52 We're busting our humps out here for this coach," more or less is what Max was getting
13:55 at.
13:56 Yeah, you're right.
13:57 It's not a like, it's a love.
13:58 I think the first week, I thought, "Okay, maybe this might be a little bit of a show."
14:01 Then the second week happened.
14:03 Then the third week, and even in a loss, they looked like a different team.
14:06 They looked like they were out there battling.
14:08 I think under the previous regime, they might have lost that game in Miami by 20 points,
14:13 14 points had they been underneath that coaching staff.
14:16 I think they're playing for their coach, not just for this season, but for him to stay
14:19 around.
14:20 They love AP, and it's real.
14:21 It's very real.
14:22 All right, let's talk about the three keys to this game.
14:26 Number one, the defense holding the Chiefs to 20 or less points.
14:31 Number two, three or less penalties for the Raiders.
14:33 They cannot ... Number three, and to me, this is a big one, they got to win the turnovers.
14:41 If those three things happen, the Raiders win this ball game.
14:44 They have to ... Turnovers, and they've obviously been doing well, turnovers, in terms of the
14:47 last few weeks, and really on the season.
14:49 They've got just as many, if not more turnovers through this point in the season than they
14:53 did all of last season combined.
14:55 If they can keep that up, especially against a team like Kansas City, they definitely have
14:59 a chance.
15:00 But the penalties, man, I think that might need to be number one, because there's penalties,
15:05 and then there's penalties that completely ruin you.
15:09 That's kind of what happened last week, just back-breaking penalties on third down on defense,
15:13 just things you can't do-
15:14 Well, remember, the Tyreek, they had Miami coming off of the field-
15:19 Off the field.
15:20 After a big third down stop that I think ended up turning into a Tyreek touchdown.
15:24 Yep, it was a touchdown.
15:26 That was the difference in the ball game.
15:28 That's it.
15:29 It's just you can't have that.
15:31 Penalties happen, we get it.
15:32 It's just how it goes.
15:33 But it cannot be just the ones that completely ruin the game for you, or end up being the
15:37 difference maker in the game for you.
15:38 So if they can do that ... They're not that far off.
15:41 They really aren't.
15:42 Like you said, wipe off those penalties, keep doing what you're doing on defense in terms
15:45 of turnovers, clean up the turnovers on your side of the ball, and they can win.
15:50 I'm going to tell you something that baffles me, and you know we don't mock the fans here,
15:57 and I'm not.
15:59 Without them, we don't have jobs.
16:00 These people tune in and watch and listen and read.
16:02 God bless every single one of you.
16:04 Thank you for subscribing and following.
16:05 If you haven't, please do it.
16:07 Remember, never pay other people for what we give you for free.
16:10 Just don't do it.
16:11 But I'll see fans say, "Yep, time to just blow it up, rebuild the whole thing."
16:16 Really?
16:17 We have one of the best special teams in the NFL, a rising defense.
16:24 Yeah.
16:26 Just speaking of pure emotion, pure just ... It's all emotion, right?
16:32 It's wanting to win, and it's also just the age that we're in now.
16:36 Everybody wants to win right now.
16:38 You get the rookie quarterback, we have to go to the Super Bowl right now.
16:41 That's just not how it works, right?
16:43 So yes, a little bit of ...
16:45 You know what's funny?
16:46 I'm sorry.
16:47 Go ahead and finish.
16:48 I didn't mean to interrupt you.
16:49 No, no, listen.
16:50 I remember Peyton Manning's rookie year.
16:57 He at times was horrible.
17:02 I've heard stories about this.
17:08 Rookies are rookies.
17:11 It's why they're called rookies.
17:12 You don't get mad at your kid when they come home from school as a second grader because
17:17 they don't do trigonometry, but you have a right to be a little mad if they don't know
17:21 one plus one.
17:23 Exactly.
17:25 You have every right to expect certain things from Aiden O'Connell.
17:28 He's got to quit holding the ball so long, and he's got to protect it.
17:31 No argument, okay?
17:32 He's got to take some 50/50 shots, but he also can't look guys down.
17:36 He's got to get through his progression.
17:38 All of that's true.
17:39 None of that's being too hard.
17:41 He's a rookie.
17:43 Now, wait a minute.
17:46 I asked him Sunday after the game, "Do you got to use your legs?"
17:51 He agreed that he did.
17:52 He doesn't have to be Patrick Mahomes, but he also can't be a Statue of Liberty.
18:00 100%.
18:01 Listen, Aiden, you got to think about all the things that he has faced in really the
18:07 last three weeks.
18:09 The man has played the last two games without a starting left tackle, Colton Miller.
18:13 He's a rookie.
18:14 Then you look at the defenses he's played in the last two weeks and the defense he's
18:17 about to play on Sunday.
18:19 Those are three of the top 10, 12 defenses in the NFL.
18:21 Honestly, they rank higher towards the top five than they do the top 10.
18:25 What other rookie's coming in without their starting left tackle, going through everything
18:29 that Aiden's had to go through, and then playing three of the top defenses in the NFL?
18:32 You got to keep in their perspective.
18:35 Here's what I don't get.
18:36 Maybe you can help me, Zeke, because you're a lot smarter than I am.
18:38 I'm just a simple man.
18:42 When he does big things against the Giants, it's just the Giants.
18:47 That's fair.
18:51 But when he wins ballgames against the Jets?
18:54 That defense.
18:55 The Jets defense is-
18:56 Is it not fair to say, or he's going against a very improved Miami defense and saying,
19:01 "Okay, if what he did against the Giants was just because it's the Giants, give the kids
19:05 some credit for what he did against those teams."
19:07 I mean-
19:08 Listen, I would challenge anyone that is talking bad about Aiden or the offense, especially
19:13 in the last two games, to go check the numbers on the Miami Dolphins defense and what they've
19:17 done this season.
19:18 I think once you do that, it explains itself.
19:22 I think what happened with Miami is people are so caught up on their offense, they forget
19:26 that that defense is one of the tops in the league.
19:30 So like I said, again, you got to keep everything-
19:32 And got Jaylen Ramsey back.
19:33 Yeah, he's a- Come on, Jaylen.
19:34 Jaylen was all over the field.
19:35 I got to tell you a great story.
19:39 I'm not going to- I'll tell you privately off air who, but I'm not going to say on here.
19:44 So fans were- And again, when we say fans, it's a small percentage going after him for
19:49 that interception on Jaylen Ramsey by Jaylen.
19:52 And I'm thinking, do you know how many Hall of Fame quarterbacks have thrown interceptions
19:57 to Jaylen?
19:58 I mean, let's give the guy- It's like saying, "I can't believe that quarterback got sacked
20:03 by Max Crosby."
20:04 It's Jaylen Ramsey.
20:05 That's what Jaylen does.
20:06 He's Jaylen freaking Ramsey.
20:07 Yeah.
20:08 All right.
20:09 Yeah.
20:10 Listen, I got to ask you this question.
20:11 It's a very important question.
20:12 It's probably the most important question I'm going to ask you today.
20:17 I've got to pull it up on my phone here.
20:18 So give me a second.
20:21 You're a young man.
20:25 And I'm going to ask you about this.
20:31 In 1978, November the 23rd, it was one of the most dramatic days in American history.
20:38 I survived that day.
20:40 It was the WKRP in Cincinnati turkey drop.
20:44 Are you familiar with that event?
20:46 No, no, I'm not.
20:47 You know, I'm a history guy.
20:48 I thought you were going to go like, "I thought this was sports and history," but I have no
20:51 idea what happened here.
20:53 Oh, the humanity.
20:56 You really have no idea about the WKRP in Cincinnati turkey drop?
21:01 No, sir.
21:02 Not that I...
21:03 No, sir.
21:04 It was literally, I'm going to give you the date.
21:06 It was November 23rd, 1978, and the entire country, it ruined Thanksgiving for the entire
21:12 country shut down.
21:13 Hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on.
21:14 Was there like an oil something or a gas something shortage of some kind?
21:18 It was a WKRP in Cincinnati turkey drop.
21:22 So it was just...
21:23 I'll send it to you.
21:24 Okay.
21:25 It was a dramatic day.
21:26 I didn't think you kids knew about it.
21:27 Us older people, it's like, that's why when we come into Thanksgiving, like we never forget
21:32 that day.
21:33 Seriously.
21:34 Now I got to know what happened.
21:37 Go look it up.
21:38 Just all the humanity was brutal.
21:40 And to clarify, it impacted the whole country is what you're saying?
21:43 The whole country.
21:44 It was the WKRP in Cincinnati great turkey drop.
21:48 Okay.
21:49 You know what?
21:50 Listen, I was once a history major.
21:51 So listen, now I'm interested.
21:52 I got to figure this out now.
21:53 So...
21:54 Well, I'm very nervous about...
21:55 What do they call you guys?
21:57 Aren't you like Gen...?
21:58 Millennials.
21:59 I'm a millennial, technically.
22:00 I think the generation after me might be Gen X.
22:03 No, I'm...
22:04 No, I don't...
22:05 All right.
22:06 Who cares?
22:07 Whatever you are.
22:08 I knew you were...
22:09 Just make sure you check that out.
22:10 All right.
22:11 This is the Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
22:16 And thank you for joining us.
22:18 I am your Raiders beat writer, Hondo Carpenter.
22:20 That's my assistant, the great Zeke Trezevant, Ezekiel.
22:25 We appreciate all of you.
22:27 Remember, we're part of the Fans First Sports Network.
22:28 We're thankful for you.
22:30 We're grateful for you.
22:31 Have a great day tomorrow with your families.
22:33 We're going to have lots of videos, articles, even though it's Thanksgiving.
22:36 We don't stop right here at Sports Illustrated's Fan Nation Las Vegas Raiders Insider Podcast.
22:41 We'll see you all back here tomorrow.
22:42 God bless you.
22:43 Have a great day.
22:44 Zeke, I'm super thankful for you and Jasmine and the kids.
22:46 Make sure you tell her that, will you?
22:47 Yes, sir.
22:48 Will do.
22:49 Thank you again.
22:50 Appreciate you and appreciate all you, everybody.