The 2-7 Las Vegas Raiders are enjoying a much-needed bye week after five straight losses. But the team didn't go quietly into its time off.
Sources tell CBS Sports that several Raiders players, including team captain Maxx Crosby, spoke openly in a players-and-staff meeting Monday addressing what they viewed as inefficiencies and deficiencies within the organization on a week-to-week basis.
The hope for everyone involved is that the talks result in some positive change for the Raiders in the second half of the season.
Head coach Antonio Pierce fired three offensive coaches Sunday night after the Raiders' 41-24 loss to Cincinnati. Offensive coordinator Luke Getsy, offensive line coach James Cregg and quarterbacks coach Rich Scangarello were all relieved of their duties after Sunday's game.
By Monday morning, Pierce was reworking his offensive staff. Scott Turner, who previously was an offensive coordinator in Washington and Carolina, would eventually be named the interim offensive coordinator. The Raiders never hired an assistant offensive line coach -- which is somewhat unusual -- but made senior offensive assistant Joe Philbin the new OL coach. Philbin had been working regularly with that group throughout the season, which led to there not needing to be an assistant.
Assistant quarterbacks coach Fred Walker did not get an elevation despite Scangarello's firing, but the team did add Scott's dad, Norv Turner, to the team in an advisory role. Turner, 72, is a three-time head coach and longtime NFL offensive coordinator. Turner, Philbin and Marvin Lewis are all former head coaches who are on Pierce's staff.
After Monday's coaches meeting, the team met with the staff and the floor was open for anyone to speak their mind. According to sources present, a few themes emerged. Players had issues with the schedule not being efficient. There was a lack of organization and "wasting time," and there was a "lack of discipline and accountability."
One source described the meeting as ending "uncomfortably for all parties." But, to be sure, this meeting was nothing like one between the players and head coach from almost exactly a year ago.
Just days before Mark Davis fired Josh McDaniels as head coach, McDaniels opened the floor to players. They ripped into McDaniels for how he behaved and ran the team. Word got back to the owner, and McDaniels was fired a few days later on Halloween.
Players rallied around Pierce to get the permanent job last year as the team went 5-4 with him at the helm. The Raiders did the bare minimum to comply with league rules in their search before installing Pierce as the permanent head coach, which had been the expectation around the league since the Christmas Day victory over the Chiefs.
Pierce and his reworked coaching staff are hoping for another strong second half to a season. And it starts when players report back from the bye on Monday to prepare for the Miami Dolphins.
