Sep 24, 2014; London, UNITED KINGDOM; General view of the Big Ben clock tower and Houses of Parliament and the Palace of Westminster in advance of the NFL International Series game between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Speculations surround Oakland, CA, and the Alameda, CA, offices of the Oakland Raiders regarding the future of the coaching staff. Specifically, the Head Coaching job of Dennis Allen. Rumors have surfaced placing the outcome of the game between the Miami Dolphins and Oakland Raiders in London, England, as the deciding factor on whether or not Allen will be the HC moving forward.
Make no mistake, I want the Raiders to be successful in London and head into the Bye Week with a victory. A victory has the potential to generate some momentum, and it can possibly re-invent this team for 2014. Bridges are being crossed, and the team is beginning to find their feet. However, there are still a lot of issues, and those issues may not rest on the shoulders of the players.
Simply put, it is now up to the coaching staff to place the right players in the proper positions to make plays. Can they do it against a tough Miami Dolphins team this weekend? With the progress that QB Derek Carr is making, can Offensive Coordinator Greg Olson take the reins off of him and let him fire on all cylinders? These questions remain, and their focus begins with HC Dennis Allen. Regardless of how you feel about Allen, it is ultimately his responsibility to oversee his coaching staff and make sure the right things are happening to put the team in position to win. It doesn’t feel like he’s doing his job.
As a matter of fact, it feels more like he’s running scared than anything else. No fire, no emotion, just the same old rhetoric that seems evasive and corny. So, in my opinion, his job is in jeopardy, and this London experience will determine the outcome of his future along with the future of the team in 2014.
This is where the importance of Veteran Leadership will play a huge role in maintaining some continuity and calmness within the locker room while the Staff tries to keep their jobs and figure things out. A Head Coaching change may be just what the team needs, but it could also be its undoing, even though the team is currently 0-3.
Yet, the optimist in me says that the Raiders will defeat the Dolphins, and they will head into the Bye Week with confidence in every aspect of their game. Players who are injured will get some extra days off, and D.J. Hayden will be back to help out the struggling secondary. A win here could be the driving force behind a run at 8-8 or 9-7? Maybe 7-9? Anything but another 4-12 or 2-14, and no way do I want to see an 0-16 season. Too many questions not being answered yet, but I have faith that the players will figure this thing out and start to turn it around. Lord knows that Justin Tuck and Charles Woodson don’t want to have losing seasons either.
Though my faith in the coaching staff is truly being tested this year, I will never lose faith in the Oakland Raiders. This week has proven what many of the critics doubt, the Oakland Raiders are a worldly team whose fan’s reign supreme! Determining the future of this team will start for sure on Sunday in London, England, and the world will definitely be watching. Go Raiders!