Frustrated Raiders Locker Room Privately ‘Questioning’ Josh McDaniels: Insider

Getty Josh McDaniels, Raiders coach

There are some dangerous spots for a coach to be in the NFL, and that applies, really, to any sport. But no spot is as intractable as the dreaded lost locker room, that position a coach can wind up in when his players no longer listen to him and when his game plans are not worth the paper they’re printed on.

It happens, and it happens a lot. And it’s fair to wonder whether it is happening to the Raiders, who have, in two seasons, gone backwards under coach Josh McDaniels.

One team reporter, though, says that’s not the case. Yet.

“I’m talking to players and I’m watching. Josh has not lost the locker room or they would not have fought back,” said Hondo Carpenter, who covers the Raiders for SI.com (starts at 13:52 of the video). “Teams that have quit on coaches, you know I’ve been around them, they don’t fight.”

That does not mean McDaniels is out of the woods, though. “Here’s the danger: At some point his very hard-regimented work ethic, if guys have bought in, but they’re not going to, they’re gonna begin to say, ‘Nah, nah,’” Carpenter said. “I don’t believe he’s lost the locker room and I would say it, but I do believe now that the locker room is at least questioning what the hell is going on here. And that’s a dangerous point.”

Offensive Failings Strange for Josh McDaniels

Still, at 1-3, the Raiders have a slew of questions, most of which fall on McDaniels’ lap. It starts with the offense, which was supposed to be McDaniels’ strong suit, the place where his reputation was made as the architect of the Tom Brady-Patriots juggernauts over the past two decades.

But in Las Vegas, McDaniels has taken an offense that ranked 12th in points (395) and yardage (5,993) last season and seen it devolve into an offense ranked 25th in points (62) and 26th in yardage (1,127). That has come despite McDaniels much-hyped transactions at wide receiver (Jakobi Meyers), tight end (rookie Michael Mayer) and, most prominent, Jimmy Garoppolo at quarterback.

Garoppolo leads the league in interceptions, with six, despite not playing in Week 4 with a concussion.

The defense has actually gotten a tick better this season, up to 24th in points allowed and 18th in yardage allowed.

Josh Jacobs Vented Raiders ‘Frustration’

If McDaniels’ voice is still being heard in the locker room, now would be a good time for that voice to start leading to some wins. The Raiders have a winnable game on Monday against the Packers, who are 2-2, and also have the Patriots and Bears on the upcoming docket. It’s not difficult to imagine them getting back above .500 at 4-3.

But make no mistake, there is frustration among Raider players and they could eventually turn on McDaniels. That was something running back Josh Jacobs made clear after last week’s loss to the Chargers—which, as Carpenter pointed out, did feature a good comeback attempt by the Raiders.

“For me, it’s frustrating, man,” Jacobs said in the locker room on Sunday. “Tired of losing. Just keeping on it. I’m tired of f***ing losing, man. And I mean, I feel like every day I go in there and work my ass off. So, eventually something’s got to give.”

Jacobs went on: “Stupid sh**, stupid sh** we do to ourselves. It’s undisciplined, undisciplined football, and this league is too competitive. It’s too competitive and there’s too many guys that’s good out there to not do the little things right every play. Until we figure that out, this is going to be what it is.”