The Las Vegas Raiders' new coach Antonio Pierce spoke after drubbing the New York Giants, and we have it all for you.
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00:00 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:06 >> Ready?
00:07 >> Ready.
00:08 >> Yeah.
00:10 >> First of all, coach, congratulations on your first win as a head coach.
00:13 Two quick questions for you.
00:14 Number one, your players and your coaches responded with only four days to what you
00:19 wanted, could you talk about the pride in that, please?
00:22 >> Yeah, we talked about that, pride and poise and just getting back to being
00:26 ourselves, you know what I mean?
00:27 Everything that's going on is in front of us, not behind us.
00:30 And the team effort you saw today is what we displayed in practice on Thursday and
00:35 Friday, no problems with that.
00:37 >> Second of all, you've had great wins as a player, but
00:40 where does your first head coaching win rank?
00:42 >> It's up there.
00:44 My stomach was, I had the butterflies before the game.
00:47 That hasn't happened but two other times in my life, and it was special,
00:51 very special.
00:51 [BLANK_AUDIO]
00:54 >> Coach, team looked rejuvenated, seemed like some fresh energy, good execution.
01:00 I was wondering, what did you tell them was the messaging to get that extra edge
01:06 today?
01:07 >> Yeah, just, I mean, go back to our roots.
01:09 How did we all get here?
01:10 And I said it in the press conference, you were in Pop Warner,
01:14 you just had to join the love for the game.
01:16 And I just felt like we lost that for a bit.
01:19 And I got told, you came back on Thursday, if you was at practice,
01:21 you would have saw it.
01:22 Friday, same exact thing, and then just their focus throughout the building.
01:26 I mean, obviously there's videos of the guys playing hoop, having fun,
01:29 just enjoying themselves.
01:30 But then we went to the grass, it was work and business.
01:33 And they understand that.
01:35 But more importantly, they wanted to do it for each other.
01:36 They just wanted that feeling, that joy, that they're now celebrating, dancing, and
01:40 having a great time in their locker room.
01:42 >> Coach, LTOs, fatigue, expertise, team effort,
01:44 what impressed you the most about the win tonight?
01:47 >> Team effort, specialties, outstanding job in point coverage,
01:52 kickoff coverage, we're three for three on our field goals.
01:56 Offense, came out the gauges physically, downhill running, O-line,
02:01 finishing runs, here's a play with Cole Miller, he had a defender out of bounds.
02:06 And we finished both of our drives that we had early on with rushing touchdowns.
02:12 And we talked about the physicality that we wanted to play with and
02:14 get Josh Jacobs going.
02:16 Also what Bowe was able to do with Aiden, that quarterback,
02:19 very impressive those two guys, no sacks, no turnovers.
02:22 And defensively, we talked about taking the ball away and attacking the quarterback.
02:25 Eight sacks, two picks, meek, heck of a job.
02:31 Nate Hobbs, Johnny on the spot.
02:33 And to me, the most important part is how those guys celebrated.
02:37 Look what they did together as a unit.
02:38 >> Coach, I was gonna ask about Aiden.
02:41 Can you assess him?
02:41 He seemed like he did what you needed him and wanted him to do.
02:45 >> Took care of the ball, number one.
02:48 Did a really good job of being poised.
02:50 Handled the tempo that we had early on.
02:53 We had some alerts and checks.
02:55 Did a good job with that.
02:56 Looked totally different than the guy at that first start.
02:59 And just like any rookie, more opportunities, more reps, the better you get.
03:03 And more important, the guys around him really did a good job of protecting him and
03:07 encouraging him to keep his chin up.
03:09 >> You guys were up 7-0 with about six minutes to go in the first half.
03:14 And you were very aggressive offensively.
03:15 Is that kind of the new mindset?
03:17 What did you think about those game plans?
03:19 What sort of game was played?
03:20 >> Yeah, we talked about being more aggressive.
03:22 Then they go, I mean, you don't wanna call the game scared.
03:25 Not myself as a head coach, nor did I want the whole Seattle quarterback to feel like
03:29 I didn't believe in him.
03:31 So we felt good about something.
03:32 We was gonna let it roll.
03:33 And you saw the shot there with Tucker.
03:36 I mean, you got a guy that can run, run.
03:37 And he was run running.
03:38 And he caught that ball.
03:40 Great throw by Aiden.
03:41 But more importantly, look at the protection.
03:43 And we had time to get there and throw that ball 50 plus yards.
03:45 [BLANK_AUDIO]
03:49 >> I'm Brian Simon, NBC, Las Vegas.
03:51 If you could describe the feeling you have when you walk through the tunnel for
03:55 that very first time, and the opportunity to take that picture with Champ and
03:59 Sandra right after you walked.
04:01 >> First of all, like I said, butterflies.
04:03 I've had it three times as a professional.
04:06 My first game in NFL and the Super Bowl.
04:09 And then my first game as a head coach.
04:10 That was special.
04:13 But the other part that was special was the history that we made today.
04:16 Black president, female, black general manager,
04:21 Jim Kelly, and then obviously myself.
04:23 Don't take that for granted.
04:25 Again, humbled by the opportunity.
04:29 And when you look at it, it's just something that if it goes forever,
04:34 if it doesn't, for that one moment we had that opportunity.
04:37 If it's the next nine games or so, whatever, let it be.
04:39 But very humbled.
04:41 >> Any more questions?
04:43 >> [COUGH]
04:44 >> Cool.
04:46 >> Sorry.
04:48 >> [COUGH]
04:50 >> You have a question?
04:51 >> Yeah.
04:51 >> Coach, it seemed like Josh was running with more energy,
04:56 a little more set to his runs.
04:59 What did you see in Josh's runs today compared to previous games?
05:03 >> I saw that heartbeat thing, what we talked about.
05:05 He's a heartbeat.
05:06 He's a raider.
05:08 When you watch Josh run, he runs angry.
05:12 And he got back to that running style, what we saw last year.
05:14 And it was just feel, just go.
05:16 And he left in the game, he wanted to get in there and
05:18 obviously get himself in the yard mark.
05:20 We'll keep grinding on that.
05:21 That's something obviously I don't take for granted.
05:24 It's hard to do in the National Football League.
05:25 We haven't done it this year.
05:27 But more importantly, it's those five guys in front.
05:29 This week, a lot of love to the big guys.
05:32 They did a hell of a job.
05:35 They took on the challenge that we gave them out the gate in our first meeting as
05:38 a team, and they accomplished it today.
05:41 We did one more on them.
05:42 >> Coach, you were known as a real scrapper, a physical player.
05:45 I'm curious, that seems to be the identity that you want the Raiders to look like
05:50 they were before.
05:51 Is that accurate?
05:52 And were you surprised they were able to flip that switch so
05:55 quickly to be what you wanted them to be?
05:58 >> I think we saw that today.
06:01 I don't have to talk about it.
06:02 I think if you watch the game, it was just that.
06:05 And yes, I wanna be that.
06:06 I think it starts up front.
06:07 It starts with your O line and D line.
06:08 It's a mentality.
06:10 It's about taking somebody's will.
06:11 And then you get the tee off like you saw,
06:13 like we did with the quarterback getting eight sacks.
06:14 So it goes hand in hand, man.
06:16 Listen, there's all the great teams.
06:18 They got somebody up front on both sides that puts fear in your heart.
06:21 And then they got a running back, and obviously the linebackers and
06:24 other guys.
06:24 But more importantly, this is a great team win.
06:27 This is a great win for Raider Nation, the fans, our players, our organization.
06:31 I'm proud to have the opportunity to coach these gentlemen, and
06:34 we're gonna do it again next week.
06:35 >> Thank you, Coach.