Las Vegas Raiders Fire Head Coach Josh McDaniels Amid Season Struggles

Posted on: November 1, 2023, 11:45h. 

Last updated on: November 1, 2023, 02:38h.

Pauly McGuire Read More

Expertise: Sports Betting, Sports.

The Las Vegas Raiders cleaned house late on Tuesday evening. They fired head coach Josh McDaniels, general manager Dave Ziegler, and offensive coordinator Mick Lombardi.

The Raiders are 3-5 and currently tied for last place in the AFC West. They were 3-3 before they lost two games in a row, including a 30-12 loss against the Chicago Bears in Week 7. Their most recent loss occurred on Monday Night Football in a 26-14 defeat against the Detroit Lions.

After much thought about what the Raiders need to move forward, I have decided to part ways with Josh and Dave,” said owner Mark Davis in an official statement. “I want to thank them both for their hard work and wish them and their families nothing but the best.”

Antonio Pierce will take over as the interim head coach after spending the start of this season as the linebackers coach. Champ Kelly was the assistant GM under Ziegler, and he was promoted to general manager for the remainder of the season.

Pierce becomes the 12th head coach for the Raiders since they last won a playoff game as the Oakland Raiders in 2002. This also marks the fourth time since 2008 the Raiders switched head coaches in the middle of a season.

McDaniels Sacked After 25 Games

McDaniels had a six-year contract with the Raiders, and he lasted only 25 games before they fired him. He has a 9-16 record since taking over in 2022.

The Raiders went 6-11 in their first season under McDaniels, which was a disappointment considering he inherited a 10-7 team that qualified for the playoffs. The Raiders parted ways with quarterback Derek Carr and signed Jimmy Garoppolo in free agency this off-season.

After Week 3, McDaniels emerged as the betting favorite to become the first head coach to lose his job this season.

McDaniels has now lost two head coaching jobs when he was let go midway through his second season. McDaniels went 11-17 with the Denver Broncos during his first stint as a head coach. He lasted 28 games before the Broncos fired him in 2010.

Davis indicated he will seek a new head coach and general manager in the off-season. Potential head coaching candidates include Brian Flores, Jim Harbaugh, Dan Quinn, and Raheem Morris.

Raiders Plagued by Offensive Woes

McDaniels won six Super Bowls as a coach under Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. He was the offensive coordinator of the Patriots when the Raiders hired him in hopes that he could bring his winning offensive philosophy to Las Vegas.

The Raiders compete in a high-scoring division, with gunslinger quarterbacks like Patrick Mahomes from the Kansas City Chiefs and Justin Herbert from the Las Angeles Chargers. However, McDaniels failed to deliver a team that could challenge their divisional rivals.

The Raiders won three games in 2023, but all three victories were close games and decided by nine total points. They never won a game by more than four points. They averaged 14.2 points per game in their losses.

The Raiders’ downtrodden offense averaged 15.8 points per game, and they were the third-worst scoring team in the NFL this season under McDaniels. The offense generated only 268.3 yards per game, the second-lowest in the NFL.

The Raiders have the worst rushing team in the NFL this season. Their paltry rushing attack averages only 70 yards per game, even after running back Josh Jacobs ended a contract holdout.

Betting the Raiders the Rest of the Season

The Raiders are currently tied with the Denver Broncos (3-5) for last place in the AFC West. Oddsmakers didn’t have much faith in the Raiders this season, so they had a projected win total of only 6.5 over/under.

The Raiders are +1200 odds to make the playoffs, according to a prop bet at DraftKings. They’re a huge favorite to miss the playoffs at -3000 odds.

The Chiefs are tied for the best record in the AFC at 6-2, thanks to their good-luck charm, Taylor Swift. The Chiefs are -700 odds to win the AFC West for an eighth consecutive season.

During the preseason, the Raiders were +1200 odds to win the AFC West. After they started 3-5, their divisional odds dropped to +4000.

The Raiders play their next two games at home in Sin City. They host the New York Giants in Week 9 and square off against the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football in Week 10.

The Raiders are a slight favorite at -1 against the Giants. Quarterback Daniel Jones missed three games with a neck injury, and he’s expected to return versus the Raiders.

The Raiders have a 3-5 record against the point spread (ATS) this season. The Giants are 2-5-1 ATS.