Raiders Win In Antonio Pierce’s Coach Debut
[Written by Patrick Bean]
Antonio Pierce, the son of Bermudian Cleo Burrows, won his first National Football League [NFL] game as interim head coach of the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Pierce, who was promoted from linebackers coach to the top position last week, following the firing of former head coach Josh McDaniels, guided his team to a 30-6 shellacking of the New York Giants, the franchise with which he won a Super Bowl as a player in 2008.
The victory improved Las Vegas’ record to 4-5, and ended a two-game losing streak, which included a pair of lacklustre loses to the the Detroit Lions and hapless Chicago Bears, which resulted in the terminations of Daniels and team general manager Dave Ziegler.
Pierce intimated how he had “butterflies” before the game, and it was not lost on the newly minted head man in that the Raiders made history as the first NFL franchise to feature a Black interim coach, a Black interim general manager in Champ Kelly and a Black female team president in Sandra Douglass Morgan.
“You don’t take that for granted,” Pierce said during a post game interview session. “Humbled by the opportunity.”
Under Pierce, who supported both the Oakland and Los Angeles versions of the Raiders while growing up in Compton, California, displayed an energy, drive and skilful manner of play that had been largely absent for much of the current campaign and throughout Daniels’ tenure.
Playing in the futuristic, domed Allegiant Stadium in Paradise, Nevada they completely outplayed the Giants in all facets, taking a seven point lead in the first quarter and never trailing. The Raiders increased their advantage to 24-0 at the half and improved to 27-0 by the end of the third quarter, before the Giants managed an unconverted touchdown in the final quarter, while the home team added a field goal for the final scoreline.
Adding further insult to the Giants was what is believed to be a season ending knee injury incurred by New York quarterback Daniel Jones.
“We talked about pride and poise and getting back to being ourselves,” Pierce said of the day’s success. “Everything that’s going on is in front of us, not behind us. The team effort you saw today is what we displayed in practice Thursday and Friday.”
In the midst of the team enjoying their new coach’s first win, with cigars and celebratory chatter, Pierce rewarded his charges with an extra day off, before the team returns to practice on Wednesday, in advance of next week’s matchup against another New York outfit, the Jets.
