On Sunday, the Raiders lost to the Colts 25-20 to fall to 2-7 on the season.
It was a loss so bad that Derek Carr — the team’s franchise quarterback since 2014 — was overcome with emotion at his postgame press conference and questioned the effort of some of his teammates.
Las Vegas entered the season with high expectations after making the postseason at 10-7 last year, hiring Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler to run the football operation, and making a series of high-profile moves like trading for Davante Adams. So, entering Week 11 ostensibly out of the postseason race is a disappointment.
But that’s not the vibe team owner Mark Davis gave off in comments to Ed Graney of the Las Vegas Review-Journal on Monday.
“I like Josh. I think he’s doing a fantastic job. That’s why I hired him,” Davis said. “We did an exhaustive search and found the person we believe is going to bring the Raiders to greatness.”
A fantastic job?
“As far as Josh goes, I have no issues,” Davis said. “I’m getting to know him a lot better. When you sign someone to a contract, don’t you expect him to fulfill the contract?”
McDaniels is in the first season of a four-year contract. Davis was asked if he feels McDaniels is the long-term answer at head coach and replied, “Why wouldn’t I?”
Davis noted Las Vegas is in the beginning stages of building its team.
“Life isn’t static. It’s fluid,” Davis said. “You want to win at the end of the year and be the one holding the trophy. Obviously, we’re not there yet. I know it’s frustrating for the fan base. I feel for them. I’m a fan as well.”
But as Davis says the club is building and the head coach is doing a fantastic job, it’s worth noting that Las Vegas is one of two teams in the entire NFL with two or fewer wins. And after giving the Bengals all they could handle in the Wild Card round in January, the Raiders’ offseason moves didn’t indicate the team thought 2022 would be a “building” year.
Davis’ vote of confidence isn’t unheard of, especially in the midst of a tough first season for a new head coach. It makes sense for Davis to say that he trusts the process McDaniels and Ziegler have implemented.
But to tell everyone McDaniels is “doing a fantastic job” the day after the Raiders lost to Jeff Saturday’s Colts? That misses the mark.