Yesterday saw the Raiders lose to the Colts in Jeff Saturday‘s NFL coaching debut. The result dropped Vegas to 2-7, and extended their losing streak to three games. Keeping in line with recent reporting on the matter, however, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels is not in danger of being let go in the near future. 
The first-year Vegas bench boss has been “given assurances” by owner Mark Davis that he will remain in his position through the balance of this season into 2023 (Twitter link via The Athletic’s Jeff Howe). That comes after calls for a coaching change picked up in recent weeks, as the team has habitually given up sizeable leads and struggled to find consistency on offense.
“I like Josh. I think he’s doing a fantastic job. That’s why I hired him,’ Davis said, via Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “We did an exhaustive search and found the person we believe is going to bring the Raiders to greatness.”
Vegas entered the season coming off of a surprise playoff berth, and moderate expectations given moves such as McDaniels’ hiring and the acquisition of wideout Davante Adams. While few projections had them contending to win the highly-regarded AFC West, the retool started this offseason with McDaniels as HC and fellow Patriots alumnus Dave Ziegler as GM was expected to produce better performances and results than the team has put together so far.
Davis added that he has “no issues” with McDaniels, who is reportedly on a four-year contract. The pair have routinely had postgame meetings with one another during the season, something which has occasionally fueled speculation that significant changes would be forthcoming. McDaniels did not make it through his second season during his previous HC stint with the Broncos – something which, of course, was followed by his last-minute backing out of the Colts’ job four years ago. Davis’ remarks certainly suggest that the 46-year-old will have a longer leash this time around.
McDaniels and the Raiders will next play the Broncos, a team which, at 3-6, has induced plenty of outcry regarding their own coaching hire from the offseason. Regardless of the outcome of that game, a long-term view is indeed being used in Vegas.
At least Rich Bisaccia is having a good laugh.
Even Hue Jackson managed to go 5-4 in his first nine games as a Raiders HC.
I don’t blame McDaniels, I blame Mark David for hiring McDaniels and still not being aware it was a mistake.
As a fan that is disappointed in the outcome of the season so far I am happy to hear that Davis isn’t looking to make a knee jerk reaction and fire McDaniels. The offensive line is atrocious and our defense has been a problem for a long time. Address those areas in the off-season and get rid of the locker room cancers that aren’t buying in. Making a regime change rarely succeeds immediately and takes time, especially when the roster is so top heavy and falls off the table after 6 players.
Have so many O-Lines always this bad? I can’t remember a time where so many teams have saggy O-Lines. This yea in addition to the Raiders you have the Colts, Broncos, and Commanders. I’m probably missing a couple.
Hopefully the draft has a crop of young OLs because they’re going to be in demand for sure.
Teams will hire a dozen coaches to assist the QB but there is no glamor or glory associated with being an OL coach so getting a competent person for that job is not considered a priority.
Makes sense in that regard. What’s a bit ironic with that perspective is that if Jeff Saturday has any coaching leanings, it’s towards O-Line technique and strategy and that’s why (I’m guessing) that he landed the head coaching position.
He shouldn’t have hired McDaniels in the first place. He was a disaster in Denver, then backed out of an offer with Indy, and has now produced sub standard results with this team. He’s done nothing without Belichick looking over his shoulder.
The problem with the “we are in a build process” narrative that Davis and McDaniels are now conveniently pushing is that if you really expected this year to be the beginning of a build process why trade 1st and 2nd round draft picks for a 30 year old WR like Adams and sign him to a big contract and also sign a past his prime DE like Chandler Jones to a big contract?
And extend Derek Carr to big contract
Mark Davis owes it to the fans to face the firing squad and answer tough questions. What is the plan? What do you like about the season? Rich Bissaccia was fired for not winning a playoff game, Josh is on pace to win 4 games total. I’d be hard pressed to find a scenario where a team had added more talent and regressed so much. Add on top of that head scratching moves like cutting leatherwood and Abrams as well as trading Mullins for Pennys on the dollar don’t make sense to the fans.
The only tough question you have to answer when in Las Vegas is “What do you want to gamble on next?”
He also endorsed his barber…so he’s got that going for him.
That’s what I keep thinking. Would you hire an intern with that haircut?
Josh McDaniels might be ever better than Jeff Fisher at tricking teams into employing him. The guy is in Hugh Jackson territory
At least Fisher made it to a Super Bowl
The Raiders might as well tank the rest of the season to get the 1st pick in the draft and a future franchise QB. Stanking for Stroud!
The Raiders have a good QB. They just have a terrible coach, and I guess we can add a clueless owner to the list.
The Raiders have been “Rebuilding” since 2004. Last year they had a team and a staff that was expecting a post season appearance and to take a step forward this season. This was a team that was not looking to get over the hump or was broken, they played in the post season and added talent. Josh took that team over and has once again created the same environment that got him fired in Denver.
None of the trades appear to be in the Raiders favor. The player releases are head scratching. The major issues with the on-field performance are not being addressed.