Is Antonio Pierce a lock for the permanent Head Coach role with the Raiders?

Interim Las Vegas Head Coach Antonio Pierce has stated many times that he is a Raider through and through. He knows where they have been and where they should be. He knows what success looks like and he  is bringing it back.  

The Raiders team under Pierce are a completely different proposition to the one we saw  under the previous management. Pierce came in and immediately galvanised what was a  dejected roster. These players love him, they battle for him and they will run through walls for him. One of the reasons they will do that is because Pierce would do it for them and they all know that he has walked the same path as them. He doesn’t mince his words, he says it how it is and that unfiltered approach is perfect.  

Since he took over he has overseen a 4-3 record so far and they now have a chance at a playoff spot. It will be tough to get that, however the fact they are in this position speaks  volumes about the work done since the change in management was made. Their victory over the Chiefs was a statement, a statement from Pierce that he should be the permanent HC.

A statement from the players that they are all in and more specifically a statement from the defense to say we are coming for you, to every offense that they cross paths with. You rarely see Mahomes under so much pressure, being hit so often and looking uneasy as the  penny dropped that these Raiders mean business.  

This Raiders team under Pierce, for the first time in quite some time, looks like the Raiders.  They are aggressive, relentless, hungry, imposing and determined. They play as a team, you can see the communication between them, the togetherness and it can’t be forgotten how  important that is to success in the NFL. They have shown that they can win games in different fashions, they have a balance just now that is required and they are showing that under the proper coaching that these players have the tools to succeed. 

Antonio Pierce won me over with his first press conference – at that moment, I bought in. Since that moment, he hasn’t budged an inch. He has stayed true to himself and he has done what he said he would. He is bringing back the Raider way. It’s unapologetic, it’s fun and it’s Raiders football.

Mark Davis, the Raiders owner, I’m sure has assured Pierce already that he  is going nowhere. He wants to be the HC. The players want it, everyone wants it. David  made a bold move during the season to change HC, that decision might be one of the best  he has made and potentially might ever make.  

Now all that’s left to do is for this team to make a run at grabbing a wildcard spot. If they do  that, they will provide the league with another incredible storyline. If they don’t, they can hold  their heads up high at the fact they put themselves into this position. They can then look at  what needs done in the off season to come back next year and really put their mark down on  the league. The Las Vegas Raiders might just have found their way back to becoming a powerhouse once again. 

My bold prediction at this current moment is that in an inconsistent division that looks to be  far more open than expected, if the Raiders build on these past couple of months that they  can win their division next year and knock the Chiefs off of top spot.

Anything is possible in  the NFL but in the AFC West, the Raiders are the team maybe building the most momentum up, they have less question marks hanging over them and they have the right captain to guide them through the choppy waters. I’m excited for what the future holds and I can’t wait  to see what they do.