Las Vegas Raiders Coach Antonio Pierce Pierce held his midweek presser ahead of the Minnesota Vikings.
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00:00 >> Yeah, how are you doing?
00:01 You don't know what the last time I talked to you, Max,
00:03 you were coming up to me and you did a lot today.
00:05 But again, how is his status?
00:08 >> He has no status quo, I mean, he's been like that really for six, seven weeks now.
00:11 You don't have to just tell me he's dealing with it,
00:13 tell me we're dealing with it, and we'll take it day by day.
00:15 >> What was accomplished for you on the body, the rest,
00:19 was it refocusing, was it self-scouting?
00:21 >> Keep going, keep going, keep going, keep talking to me, it was everything.
00:25 Reflection, self-scout, preparation, rest.
00:30 Getting the questions answered, answering questions.
00:35 Really good for me, personally.
00:38 It was really good for our coaches, our staff, support staff, our players.
00:43 When they got back here Monday, it was like first day of school.
00:45 Real chatty, it was good.
00:46 Good energy today here, beating so far, walk through.
00:49 And I think that will continue throughout the week in practice.
00:52 Probably one of the best times for us.
00:54 Wish it wasn't that late, but
00:55 then the way everything worked out this year, it was a benefit for the Rebs.
00:58 >> When you first made the switch,
01:00 you talked about how professional Jimmy was in taking the news.
01:04 I assume that has continued.
01:05 How has his relationship with Aiden gone in terms of guidance or
01:08 helping him do what he has to do every week?
01:10 >> Yeah, just like you would expect with a professional.
01:13 Great teammate.
01:14 I wouldn't call it big brother, but almost big brother-ish.
01:16 He's back there taking every rep eventually.
01:18 Look team, give us one of the best looks that we can get from obviously
01:23 starting quarterback at this level, we can do it at a high level.
01:26 And even more importantly, I think how he's handled himself in the meeting rooms.
01:33 Being that voice of somebody that's been there and done that.
01:37 There's things that coach gives and there's things that your teammates and
01:40 professional athletes can give another professional athlete.
01:43 And those tips and tidbits go a long way.
01:44 >> Any big takeaways from the soft start you guys had?
01:49 >> Yeah, we're gonna do better in the second half.
01:50 Start fast.
01:51 That'll be our goal and our little rally cry this week to get off to a fast start.
01:56 Obviously, then we come out the gates like bulls.
01:58 But we need to have a second half as well.
01:59 We have some plans to do that and we'll work on that this week.
02:01 >> [INAUDIBLE]
02:03 >> I mean,
02:06 he's looking at a national football team.
02:13 There's a reason why he had winning team and losing team.
02:15 Teams in the middle of the pack.
02:16 Who can maintain that winning stamina is what I call it for 60 minutes.
02:21 Both mentally, emotionally, and physically.
02:24 And for us, that's just something we're continuing to grow on and work on.
02:27 It's something that I put a big focus on for our coaching staff and
02:30 our players this week.
02:31 Going forward, and it was no different in there.
02:33 But that's really an emphasis that I will make for myself and
02:36 make sure that we do that.
02:38 Now, is that gonna be a lot of points to stop it?
02:41 I don't know, but the execution needs to be better.
02:43 Because we're doing the first half, we're doing the second half.
02:45 Now, we gotta make adjustments and changes and we understand that.
02:48 But the execution is what we all said from coaching staff to our players that we
02:53 need to do a better job of and have that same juice and
02:55 energy that we come out with in the first half.
02:57 >> It's often said that the film doesn't lie.
03:00 When you were able to take a look at the film and
03:02 think about the dive into it, do you feel like that that's the truth?
03:06 Where you're seeing plays that could have been made better,
03:09 that should have been made better, better maybe.
03:11 But if you fix that, things can be better.
03:12 >> Yeah, I feel like we're leaving plays on the field.
03:15 We do have plays on the field.
03:17 We got guys running down the field and we got some lanes to hit in the running game.
03:21 And defensively, we got some opportunities to get the quarterback on
03:23 the ground or to make a play on the ball, for example.
03:26 Or in special teams, to take one to the house.
03:29 Well, you gotta do it.
03:29 We gotta start talking about it like I told our guys.
03:33 At some point, we had to be so determined and strain so hard to just do it.
03:38 Enough of talking about just do it.
03:40 And we have the capable, we have the players capable of doing it.
03:43 And we just gotta continue doing it.
03:44 And it starts with practice.
03:45 I'm asking them today, look, we get the ball, you take that back with you.
03:48 We need to know what that end zone feels like a lot more, especially this season.
03:53 >> What do you need or what do you wanna see out of Aiden these last five games
03:57 of the season?
03:58 >> Growth, I thought if you go back and look at,
04:00 I've been talking since I've been a head coach.
04:03 The first three games, cool.
04:05 That last game, that kid, he played well.
04:08 Played well, he gave us a shot.
04:09 He gave us a chance to win.
04:11 Took care of the football, made the adjustments,
04:13 made the corrections that we needed to.
04:14 Was poised, was calm, didn't blink.
04:17 And that's what we wanna see.
04:18 And I think else, everybody around him playing to their optimum level.
04:22 That's what we need, we need Devontae playing his best.
04:24 We need Mike Mayer playing his best.
04:26 We need Josh running at a premium.
04:28 And we need our own line of protective quarterback.
04:29 When everybody does that, that would help a young quarterback out as well.
04:33 He is getting confident.
04:34 You can see it in how he walks through the building, how he's talking.
04:36 But more confidence comes with wins.
04:39 And we need that production as well.
04:40 >> Coach, kind of a two-parter.
04:42 One, can you just talk about what's the stats of Colton Miller?
04:44 And also along with Colton Miller, you can notice Aiden more comfortable in
04:47 the pocket, Josh Jacobs averaging more yards per run.
04:49 Can you just talk about what the offensive line has done since you've become that
04:52 coach to improve?
04:53 >> Yeah, well, I think you go with Colton Miller,
04:55 you told me one of the best left tackles there.
04:57 When he's there, we're a better team, and we'll see how that goes day by day.
04:59 With the improvement of the team, it's a mindset, man.
05:04 Listen, I'm sitting here, I'm not called to play, right?
05:06 You don't see that.
05:07 I'm not the OCDC, but I'm the coach that, beginning of the week, hey,
05:10 this is the plan.
05:11 This is how I see it.
05:11 These are the ways for us to win a game.
05:13 You get that to the special needs coordinator, the offensive coordinator,
05:15 the defensive coordinator, and it's their job to put the game plan together,
05:18 along with myself.
05:19 But when we get in the game, it's a collective group of players and
05:24 coaches that work together throughout the week to make that play work.
05:27 And I think the best thing about us in these last four games is the purpose.
05:32 Our purpose and our intent is there.
05:34 Guys are straining to the best of their abilities.
05:36 Now, listen, it's two and two down the stretch right there, I get it.
05:39 But you can't sit there and say that the Raiders aren't playing hard,
05:42 that we're not playing at a high level, a premium level.
05:45 It doesn't look different.
05:46 It does.
05:47 And they made up their minds it's gonna be that way.
05:49 But at the end of the day, it's about wins and losses, and
05:51 we need more wins and losses.
05:52 >> It looked like Michael Mayer was getting more comfortable in his role.
05:55 How much more do you expect from him down the stretch in the final four?
05:58 >> I hope, I hope.
05:59 I mean, every time he touches the ball, it's like, what is it, 10, 15, 17.
06:03 Running guys over, had a hell of a block on that 63-yard touchdown by Josh Jacobs.
06:07 And I think they get enough credit for it.
06:09 Hell of a play by him.
06:10 Here's a guy that, let's be honest, training camp, he got baptized.
06:14 You know what I mean?
06:15 He probably got the Bears, humble pie.
06:17 But now he's dishing it out now to himself.
06:19 And you can see the confidence.
06:21 You see Big Mike walk around with a shoulder shrug, got a little swag to him.
06:24 It's good to see, man,
06:25 especially rookies who late in the season hit that rookie wall.
06:28 He's doing the opposite.
06:30 He's going upwards.
06:31 >> He's always falling forward.
06:33 Like, when Reggie's gonna get tackled and pick up a yard or two extra,
06:36 always falling forward.
06:37 >> Yeah, I played with him tight end, and I like to say that was pretty good,
06:42 especially his partner, German Shockey.
06:45 I don't know if I would call him a nature boy, that's what I call Shockey.
06:47 But he has that to him, where when he gets the ball in his hands,
06:50 he's punishing defenders.
06:52 And that's what you like to see, and
06:53 that's the style of play that we wanna have going forward.
06:55 >> You had mentioned Brandon Faisal, possibly a quarterback.
06:58 Is that still a part of it?
06:59 >> Yeah, I plan on hopefully seeing him out there at practice today.
07:02 I know we're doing one more look at him, and if he's good to go, he's on the roll.
07:06 >> You all have been using quarterback around the league.
07:08 Is that driven home to the point about the importance of having Death or
07:12 a quality number two?
07:14 >> Yeah, I think you'd be foolish not to think you need two quality quarterbacks.
07:18 Obviously, nobody has two starting quarterbacks in a roster, not many teams.
07:23 But more importantly, like I tell our guys, protect the quarterback at all costs.
07:27 Protect them at all costs.
07:28 You saw it again on Monday night, see it again on Thursday night,
07:31 this past Sunday, just some of these star quarterbacks going down.
07:35 That's not what our league wants to see.
07:36 We don't wanna see that.
07:38 You don't want that to happen to your team,
07:39 cuz then that puts stress on a lot of other players and people.
07:42 But the next man up mentality is there, you understand that.
07:45 But it is critical to have two guys that's ready to go and
07:47 that we're in a good situation with Jimmy as our backup this year.
07:49 >> How much of a pleasant surprise, I guess,
07:54 has Jacoby been as a receiver, as a physical receiver, as a pass catcher,
07:59 and as part of this off?
08:00 >> Yeah, man, Jacoby, you need to watch his body at work.
08:04 You watch a guy go out there and he points and he finds that linebacker and
08:07 saves it.
08:08 He points at him and he puts his face right in it.
08:09 Then you watch him catch a slight and go to the crib and
08:12 have the speed and agility to make guys miss.
08:15 He is a very unique player in a sense because of the attention that Devontae
08:19 gets with the double teams and all the attention.
08:22 You really watch 16, that's a pretty goddamn good football player.
08:25 And I told him all day, man,
08:26 that's a guy that when I walk down a dark alley, he's coming with me.
08:29 >> How big of an opportunity does Jack Jones have right now?
08:33 >> Big, he's a proven self.
08:34 >> That's good.
08:37 >> [INAUDIBLE] >> Coach, real quick.
08:40 >> [LAUGH] >> Mark Arenton told us that you play
08:43 dominoes and that's your thing.
08:45 >> Yeah, yeah, yeah, dominoes, yeah.
08:46 >> When you're playing to get in, is it ten to get in or-
08:48 >> Ten to get in, no five.
08:50 >> At least, right?
08:50 >> Ten, no, ten to get in, no five.
08:52 >> All the Q says she can get in with five, I said-
08:53 >> No, no, that's on iPhone.
08:55 >> [LAUGH]
08:56 >> It's just a kid wearing colored dots,
08:57 too, to match you up.
08:58 >> [LAUGH] >> That's the question of the day,
09:01 right there.
09:02 [BLANK_AUDIO]