The Raiders and several players on their roster got their wish when the team removed the “interim” tag from Antonio Pierce and named him their head coach for the 2024 season.
For those who forget, star pass rusher Maxx Crosby threatened to request a trade if the team didn’t bring back Pierce, proving the former linebacker’s impact on the locker room during his nine-game stretch as head coach.
Under the leadership of former head coach Josh McDaniels, the Raiders struggled, going 3-5 and averaging a mere 15.8 points per game, ranking 26th in EPA/play (-0.086).
However, the team’s performance took a significant turn for the better under Pierce.
They immediately scored 30 points in their first game under him and averaged 22.9 points per game for the rest of the season, with rookie fourth-rounder Aidan O’Connell starting all nine of those games.
The Raiders excelled under Pierce on the defensive front, ranking second in EPA/play (-0.141) while allowing 16.0 PPG.
To put this into perspective, the Ravens’ defense, which was the best in the league, allowed 16.5 PPG in 2023.
However, it should be noted that this inspired version of Raiders football was also aided by them facing a quarterback group that included Tommy DeVito, Zach Wilson, Nick Mullens, Easton Stick, and Jarrett Stidham.
Pierce’s Raiders put forth an inspiring effort during the second half of last season, but will it be enough to translate to real/fantasy success.
