Following a 10-7 season in which the Las Vegas Raiders faced what seemed like constant distractions off the field, many expected the Josh McDaniels-led squad to return to the postseason in 2022.
Yet after a 2-6 start, the Raiders look far from a team ready to compete for the playoffs.
The signs of struggle on the field are becoming too loud to ignore. With the Indianapolis Colts firing head coach Frank Reich after a 3-5-1 start, some are wondering if McDaniels will be next.
Josh McDaniels on thin ice with Las Vegas Raiders
Coincidentally, the Raiders’ next opponent happens to be the Colts, who are now led by former All-Pro center Jeff Saturday. He also has no previous coaching experience above high school.
Some, like Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, have suggested McDaniels’ job security as the coach of the Raiders could be in jeopardy. Especially if the Raiders find a way to lose against the Colts, which would be their third consecutive loss.
One major difference between Indianapolis’ decision to part with Reich and McDaniels’s current situation is the fact that the Raiders just hired the coach 10 months ago, and Reich had already been on a short leash to enter the year.
That was never a thought for McDaniels before the year began. Adding Derek Carr‘s good pal Davante Adams should have only improved the Raiders’ offense, thus making Las Vegas incredibly tough to stop.
Instead, we’ve seen the team’s defense, led by coordinator Patrick Graham, let the franchise down. The Raiders are allowing the second-most points per drive in football (2.47) thanks to not being able to get off the field, whether it’s limiting opponents from converting on third downs or simply failing to get stops on the other snaps. Making matters worse, the team has forced just three turnovers all season, ranking dead last in the NFL.
Even though McDaniels earned his role by being a great play-caller in New England, it’s time for him to force some adjustments to his defense. If not, it could be McDaniels who gets the boot. According to some NFL observers, it could even happen as soon as Monday.
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