Silver And Black Pride
With the Turners slated to take over the offense, Las Vegas rolling the dice as eyes shift to future; NFL Draft positioning
With a much-needed bye week in the rear view mirror, the Las Vegas Raiders embark on the back half of their 2024 slate. Optimism isn’t high as the Silver & Black attempt a course correct, however.
Scott Turner takes over the play calling reins as the interim offensive coordinator (promoted from his pass game coordinator role) and his father Norv Turner (a former Raiders head coach himself, and longtime play caller) joins him in a senior advisor role. Veteran coach Joe Philbin is now the interim offensive line coach, too.
Then there’s the reported locker room unrest Las Vegas dealt with, as well — showcasing even in a hiatus week, things aren’t dull for the Raiders.
Thus, this week’s NFL power rankings showcase the Silver & Black either at the bottom or near the cellar of the league.
32. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 32
If you’re a glutton for punishment and somehow depressing football, the back half of the Raiders’ season just might be for you! The rest of the schedule is rife/ripe with potential tanking opportunities. They’ll face the Dolphins in their first game after the bye, and two of their last three games are against the Jaguars and Saints, teams that will also be in the mix for the no. 1 pick in the draft. Recently, the flaws of several of the top quarterback prospects in college football have been revealed, which makes it even more important for quarterback-needy teams like the Raiders to play this right and wind up with as high a pick as possible.
On this team’s road to the offseason, I’ll be watching how they handle the coaching situation. It’s probably in the Raiders’ best interest to get in the market for a new head coach as early as possible, but there isn’t any public momentum behind firing Antonio Pierce as of yet. Still, with no end in sight to his team’s current five-game slide, I can’t imagine he’ll hold this position much longer.
The tank talk is deep within the Ringer when it comes to the Silver & Black — and for good reason. As the outfit notes: The Raiders are a quarterback needy team and with several other teams potentially seeking a future face of the franchise in the 2025 NFL Draft, Las Vegas will need the highest pick it can garner.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
Last week: 31
Weeks after dealing Davante Adams to the Jets, the Raiders stood pat at the trade deadline, refraining from parting with any more assets. They offset that quiet with a headline-grabbing move, firing offensive coordinator Luke Getsy going into their Week 10 bye. Changes have to come on that side of the ball, even if the team is just covering the mess with window...
