I agree. You win, you learn. You lose, you learn more. We're poised to step on the gas and improve weekly as the playoffs approach.
Things seem to be falling into place and we have to take advantage of it and it starts this Sunday.

 

I misread this first as "peek" and wondered how we planned to peek at the Raiders...like a Belichick camera thing filming their practices? But anyway, I hope you're right.

 

I also think that the FO has been purposely resting guys who are a bit banged up (Achane, Armstead, Williams etc..) rather than have them play through injuries in order to have a healthy team for the home stretch and play-off run.

 

Without a doubt. Coach pretty much has said the same thing on various occasions.

 

Are you insinuating the Patriots/Belichick, might have bent the rules periodically?

 

Yes, a plan is definitely in place- I just hope we execute it starting this Sunday. A comfortable win will go a long way towards believing they're mentally and physically ready for an all important second half.

 

That energy from a coaching change only last so long. Sooner rather than later it wears off and teams catch on to the style of play of the new coaching staff.

Remember when Dan Cambell took over in 2015, our next two games we blew the doors off the Titans and Texans, only to come back to earth the next two weeks and finish his tenure 5-7.

 

Pretty confident MM will have them psychologically prepared to get back to business.

 

I believe we still played well though. Not sure who we lost to or their record.

 

Campbell took over for Philbin so there was bound to be improvement. But the point isn't whether the interim coach can do a better job than the guy that got fired, its that the euphoria that follows the firing doesn't last throughout the balance of the season.

 

Could Pierce succeed? Sure, crazier things have happened in the NFL. But since 2013 there have been 17 interim coaches and all but two of them ended up with losing records and only 2 were brought back as the full time head coaches (oddly not the same two). So history would suggest the odds are stacked against him.

The main reason is that teams who fire their coach mid-season are generally not very good to begin with and let's face it the Raiders weren't exactly a powerhouse going into the season.

IMO Pierce's success to date (beating two NY teams that seem to be allergic to the end zone) is not as impressive as what Campbell did (two blow out wins with an offensive explosion the team had seen yet that year) so I could definitely see the shine fading just as quick if not quicker.

 

Motor City Dan Campbell was one of those two and he absolutely deserves the position in Detroit! I often forget to watch the Lions games but I am a big fan regardless. If we don't win the Super Bowl this year, I hope the Lions do!

One other thing- and let's be honest. Brian Flores was an interim head coach in Miami, even if the title suggested otherwise. He had a winning record despite the slimmest of odds.

 

no, a team would not expect to go undefeated the rest of the season once a coach was replaced, but that does not mean the team still cannot play well under the replacement coach. Hoping, it starts to fade this week.

 

I think he was gone because of his abrasive attitude with what sounds like everyone in the building.

 

Rich Bisaccia and Gregg Williams are the only two interim coaches who had winning records. Bisaccia is kind of an exception because Gruden stepped down due to those emails rather than being fired.

Doug Marrone and Mike Mularkey are the two who were retained by the team to take over as HC the next year (which is what I meant).

Dan Campbell eventually became a HC and his time as an interim likely played into it but it wasn't a direct result of it.

I think the front office had every intention of keeping Flores long term but he couldn't get along with Grier (Kyle Von Noy recently talked about the internal feud between the two).

 

Aah, okay. I thought you meant an interim head coach that went on to become a head coach down the road. Thanks for sharing anyway, I love fun stats like that!

 

LoL, Dan Campbell is not one to mince words, and from what I understand Ross handed him the keys to the car and told him to drive it like he stole it. The front office and other coaches were not amused, LOL. The players really loved him though because he did what he said and wouldn't tolerate any of the office politics.

 

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I was talking about Flores and his abrasive personality. You are correct players loved Campbell.

 

Aah, that makes complete sense as well!