Looking Ahead: Five Bold Predictions About the 2015 Raiders
Oct 5, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; San Francisco 49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh on the field during the fourth quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Levi
2. Pleated Dockers
The Raiders will find a new head coach in the 2015 offseason and they won’t have to look very far to do it. Across the bay (actually, more like south of the bay…really you just have to go down 880…well you could take the Dumbarton across the bay and go down 101, but anyway), the San FranClara 49ers have struggled to a 4-4 record this year under head coach Jim Harbaugh, who led them to the Super Bowl just two seasons ago and has led them to three 10+ win seasons in four years along with two division titles and five postseason victories. Harbaugh, known for his sharp fashion sense and laid-back coaching style, has apparently rubbed 49er players and the 49ers front office the wrong way, which is hard to believe since he is such a likeable fellow.
The 49ers actually attempted to trade Harbaugh to the Browns after losing the NFC Championship game last season, and with the team looking unimpressive at .500 this year and the noise in the locker room and the media growing louder each week, it appears his time in Santa Clara is reaching an end. Two high-profile 49er players with the pulse of the locker room – Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders – have already publicly stated that they think he’s gone after this season. But a head coach who has already re-invented two proud Silicon Valley football programs may not be out of work for very long. He may do the most obvious thing and leave California for sunny and economically vibrant Michigan, but it’s increasingly likely he’ll become the next head coach of the Raiders.
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As a Raider head coach, he will be able to pass on his wisdom to the young Derek Carr. In his playing career, Jim Harbaugh was a great quarterback on many really great Bears and Colts teams, in fact he may be the greatest quarterback in Colts history not named Manning. Or Luck. Or Unitas. Or Morrall. Anyway he knows how to play the position at a high level: he is one touchdown behind Matt Schaub on the NFL’s all-time passing touchdowns list, and tied with legendary gunslinger Michael Vick.
His coaching style, while perhaps not a favorite of veteran players, worked well for him in college, and worked well enough for him to turn around the San Francisco 49ers. He also made Alex Smith into a competent NFL quarterback and made Colin Kaepernick into a star in this league. He favors toughness and physicality, loves to run the football, and loves having a great defense that intimidates opponents. These are all things that the Raider franchise has been known for over the past 12 seasons so he should be a perfect fit in Silver and Black…and pleated khakis.