Not enough people are talking about the wild season the Las Vegas Raiders just went through.
On paper, the Raiders finished 10-7, placed second in an extremely competitive AFC West division, and clinched a playoff birth. While all of that is undoubtedly impressive, that nowhere near provides the full story of the Raiders season. Full of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, shocks and surprises, there has not been a season like this for a team in recent memory.
In this article, I discuss those ups and downs through the Raiders' unlikely path to the playoffs.
It Started Off So Innocent
Expectations were not exactly high for the Raiders heading into 2021. They were 8-8 the previous year, which is decent, but I did not believe they did enough in the offseason for there to be any significant changes with the team. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue and wide receiver John Brown appeared as fine signings, and Alabama offensive lineman Alex Leatherwood was drafted to improve the protection of quarterback Derek Carr. However, I still did not believe they had enough talent to overcome superior AFC teams.
Well, the season started, and the Raiders made noise.
Right off the bat, they squared off against the Baltimore Ravens on the season's inaugural Monday Night Football telecast, where the Raiders upset the Lamar Jackson-led squad in an overtime thriller. The following two weeks were emphatic victories against the Pittsburgh Steelers and another overtime win against the Miami Dolphins.
Keep in mind, their first three opponents were 11-5 (Ravens), 12-4 (Steelers), and 10-6 (Dolphins), all well over .500%. Better yet, Derek Carr was the consensus early-season MVP pick with those three victories and throwing for a wicked 1,203 yards during that stretch. Being 3-0 while knocking down potent AFC teams with a QB that had the makings of an undeniable career year, the Raiders appeared destined for a fantastic season.
However, let us emphasize the word "appeared."
The Dark Side Of Jon Gruden Revealed
After their 3-0 start, the Raiders would drop their next two games in particularly rough fashion to the Los Angeles Chargers and Chicago Bears. With those losses, panic began to set amongst Raider Nation, and many wondered if the team got exposed as a pretender instead of a potential contender.
But little would we know that two-game skid beaome nowhere near their biggest concern.
Suddenly, on October 11th, just one day after the loss to Chicago, Jon Gruden resigned as the Raiders head coach amid controversy over leaked emails of his within the previous decade. These emails included horrific usage of racist, homophobic, and misogynistic statements aimed towards various figures such as former NFLPA executive DeMaurice Smith, current NFL commissioner Rodger Goodell, and female referees.
Jon Gruden Walking Off The Field After A Home Game In 2020
(image Credit: Raiders Wire - USA Today)
Sadly, there were more graphic details within the emails. But no matter who Gruden targeted, famous and otherwise, there is no excuse for such behavior. It is especially tragic to think that we had to find out about this dark side of his a decade after it initially occurred. Once a beloved head coach and broadcaster, he became immediately canceled and scrutinized, and rightfully so.
The entire sports world shook when the news broke and the days that followed, but the Raiders were suddenly without a head coach. They would turn to Special Teams Coordinator Rich Bisaccia as Gruden's temporary replacement, but the damage that hit the team would undeniably leave a scar.
2020 First-Round Draft Pick Nightmares
Thanks to the Khalil Mack trade with the Chicago Bears in 2018, the Raiders would own two first draft picks in 2019 and 2020. In 2020, the team selected Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs III and ohio State cornerback Damon Arnette with those two picks.
Both were highly-skilled prospects entering the NFL draft but came with considerable risk. For Ruggs, he carried on-field concerns with injuries, while Arnette carried off-field concerns with character issues. After both had subpar rookie years, the Raiders hoped for improvements in their sophomore seasons.
Sadly, both players eventually proved to live up to their pre-draft risks in a much worse fashion. Arnette was accused of an alleged hit-and-run incident, altercation with a Las Vegas hotel employee, and firearm possession while threatening to kill someone. Meanwhile, Ruggs drove a car while intoxicated and killed a woman and her dog in another car after striking them at 156 mph. Unsurprisingly, the Raiders immediately released both players.
From quarterback Jamarcus Russell to cornerback D.J. Hayden, it is well known just how unsuccessful recent Raiders first-round draft picks had become. However, none of them have earned the bust label and ruined their careers as quickly as Ruggs and Arnette. Even if both players had down rookie years, there is always room and plenty of time left for improvements and growth. But when you decide to become an idiot and behave chaotically, especially in the case of ending another life while doing said chaotic behavior, that will speed up the career-ending process.
The last time we saw a team have two first-round draft picks that infamously became busts was the Cleveland Browns in 2014 when they took Oklahoma State cornerback Justin Gilbert and (how could we forget) Texas A&M quarterback Johnny Manziel. Despite arguably being the most talented players at each position entering the draft, it did not take long for both players to reach bust levels in their careers. Both had controversy attached to their names and only played two full seasons with the Browns. But as embarrassing as those picks were, it clearly did not leave as much shock and damage as the incidents involving Ruggs and Arnette did with the Raiders.
The Aftermath Of The Tragic Crash Caused By Henry Ruggs III In November
(Image Credit: 8NewsNow.com)
Not even two full seasons in the league and both players were eventually cut from their team. The amount of investment made in each pick was substantial, especially considering one of those picks came from the trade that sent their best player in recent memory (Khalil Mack) off the team. But the Raiders and the rest of the league will never get to know how either player could pan out with their teams. Their offense lost a wide receiver with 4.27 speed and the defense lost a physical corner on what was already a below-average unit.
The Miracle
First, the team received a sucker-punch with Jon Gruden's resignation amid controversy and then received two more blows with the legal incidents of their draft picks just a year-and-a-half prior. How could they possibly stay upright and play through such adversity?
Somehow, someway, the Raiders stayed afloat for a remarkable season.
Interim head coach Rich Bisaccia made a solid first impression by winning his first two games against the Denver Broncos and Philadelphia Eagles. Afterward, the team went on a six-game stretch where their only win came on a tight Thanksgiving contest against the Dallas Cowboys. Entering the second half of December, the 6-7 Raiders were desperate and fighting for air. They would respond by winning all of their final four games, including a nail-biting win-or-go-home contest over the Los Angeles Chargers, en route to the playoffs.
Derek Carr would have a career year where he finished fifth amongst quarterbacks in passing yards (4,804) and fifth in completion percentage (68.4%). Despite the Ruggs incident and having his top target, tight end Darren Waller, miss five games through the season, Carr achieved excellence. Wide Receiver Hunter Renfrow especially stepped up in a significant way by putting up 1,038 receiving yards and nine touchdowns off 103 receptions, solidifying himself as one of the league's best slot receivers. That dynamic connection was the most significant contributor to the Raiders' garnering the eleventh most offensive yards in the league.
While the defense was undoubtedly the team's Achilles heel, there were noticeable standouts on that side of the ball. Defensive end Maxx Crosby earned his first Pro Bowl and second-team All-Pro honors with eight sacks and finished tenth in the league in quarterback pressures (42) and fifth in quarterback hits (30). Inside Linebacker Denzel Perryman, despite missing two games, finished sixth in the league in tackles (154). Free agent signee Yannick Ngakoue, who is no stranger to getting to the quarterback, led the team with ten sacks.
So, let us recap: The offense was able to put up substantial yards thanks to Derek Carr but lacked in the scoring department (ranked 18th in most points per game). The defense was beatable and average-at-best yet again, and the team was surrounded by intense controversy that no one saw coming. Yet, somehow, the team fought through all of that to finish with a perfectly acceptable 10-7 record and a playoff berth. While Derek Carr deserves a significant amount of praise for his career year and stout leadership, there is only one person that deserves more credit…
The Case For Rich Bisaccia As The Raiders 2022 Head Coach
Essentially, that is what this article is: a case for why I believe Bisaccia should remain the head coach for the Raiders next year.
With any team that fired (or, in this case, had a coach resign) during the season, an interim head coach comes in to replace them until the season's end. With Bisaccia, the reasonable expectation was that the Raiders would search for a full-time head coach after the season's end.
The Raiders are currently undergoing a head coach and general manager search, as they parted ways with Mike Mayock, who held their GM position for three years. So far, the team interviewed Bisaccia for the head coaching job, so at least he was given a chance. But there will be competition, as former head coaches Jim Caldwell, Jim Harbaugh, Patriots defensive coordinator Jerod Mayo and 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans have all been rumored names attached to the Raiders head coach opening.
While I think it is fair to interview other candidates, none of them will have Bisaccia's case to present.
Rich Bisaccia Smiling While On-Field During Pregame Warmups
(Image Credit: Yahoo! Sports)
First, and most important, he navigated his team through a ferocious storm full of controversy and heartbreak that ended with (again) a 10-7 record and playoff berth. Second, his players have vocally campaigned for him to be the next head coach. Both Derek Carr and Maxx Crosby have appeared in separate interviews and preached their love for Bisaccia, with Crosby stating, "everybody knows my vote. I made that very clear. I love Rich. I think he's the best man for the job. He's come in and done such an amazing job." When you have your best player on each side of the ball vocally share their love and support for Bisaccia, it may be wise for the team's upper management to follow through. Owner Mark Davis currently has his hands full and faces significant pressure from Vegas fans in choosing a new head coach and general manager.
The Raiders season ended on a close loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Wild Card round. But the fact that they even made the playoffs, better yet not completely collapse after just the Jon Gruden incident, is a downright miracle. Sure, I believe not enough fans are discussing their miraculous season, but Raider Nation, for better or worse, had themselves a season they will genuinely never forget.
If you read through this whole article, pat yourself on the back because you are a gem. While you are at it, please feel free to reach out and let me know what you thought of this piece or tap the heart icon at the bottom, if you wish.
Thank You and (Even Though This Is Not A Bears Article) Bear Down!
*All Stats Credited To ESPN