Las Vegas Raiders vs Indianapolis Colts: 3 things we learned

Las Vegas Raiders vs Indianapolis Colts: 3 things we learned

Raiders finally had enough of Paul Guenther

Much of the talk this year has been around the struggles of the Raiders’ defense, as they are giving up over 30 points per game, and are near the bottom of the NFL in nearly every statistical category. The offense has more than carried its weight, but the defense has been holding back the Raiders from being taken seriously as a wild card contender.

After an awful performance against the New York Jets and an arguably worse performance against the Colts, the Raiders finally had enough of Paul Guenther and relieved him of his duties late Sunday night. Raider Nation was never convinced of Guenther’s ability as a defensive coordinator and many of them were hoping he would be replaced in the offseason.

Guenther had the excuse of losing Khalil Mack and the rebuild in 2018, and last year the Raiders were hit hard by injuries but still managed to put together a half-decent product, thanks to a competent pass rush. This year, the Raiders invested heavily in their defense, and though they have been hit with COVID issues and injuries, the 2020 unit is considerably worse than the 2019 version and the excuses have run out for Guenther.

It is disappointing that it took until Week 14 for the Raiders brass to make this move, and it may be too little too late, but they did the right thing by not delaying the inevitable. Paul Guenther was clearly not getting the job done and interim defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli may not be much better, but something had to change.

The Raiders now have three games to prove they are at least worthy of a Wild Card spot, though they will need some breaks to qualify and even a slightly improved defense could be a big help.