Raiders lose 36:22 against Panthers, Coach Pierce criticizes “business decisions” of some players. Disappointment at home debut, optimism for upcoming games.
After the Las Vegas Raiders’ surprising 36:22 defeat in the NFL against the Carolina Panthers, coach Antonio Pierce had clear words for his team. In the post-game press conference, Pierce was visibly annoyed and was looking for answers. “We got our butts kicked… I would have booed us too,” Pierce said bluntly. The game was particularly disappointing because it was the home debut of the season and the Panthers had not won a game up to that point.
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Pierce criticized some unnamed players who he said made “business decisions.” “During the game, there were definitely some players who made those decisions. And we will make those decisions in the future,” he said. The Raiders had previously won an emotional victory against the Baltimore Ravens, but they were a disappointment across the board against the Panthers.
Long-time Raiders watchers were reminded of previous embarrassing losses, such as the one against the Indianapolis Colts in 2022 or the loss to the Chicago Bears last season. But this time, the Raiders were dominated by Andy Dalton and the Panthers.
Raiders players are self-critical
Defensive end Maxx Crosby, who was hampered by an injury, was self-critical: “Everyone has to look in the mirror. It’s not the end of the world, but a wake-up call. We have to get better. Period.” Wide receiver Davante Adams, on the other hand, was confused by Pierce’s criticism: “I don’t know, it’s hard for me to see.”
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The Raiders allowed 437 yards and were clearly dominated in time of possession. Offensively, they were only able to achieve 55 of 331 yards on the ground. In the fourth quarter, they were already behind 33:7. Despite the loss, Aidan O’Connell, who came on for Gardner Minshew shortly before the end, put in a solid performance. He led the team to a touchdown and collected 82 yards.
O’Connell remains optimistic
Despite the defeat, O’Connell was optimistic: “It’s obviously disappointing, especially at home. But we’ll come back. The good thing about football is that there’s always a next game.” The Raiders must now draw the right conclusions and prepare for the challenges ahead.
