Raiders Opinion: The Bisaccia Difference
Since the start of the 2019 NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders never recorded back-to-back double-digit victories. Yet, in his first two games as (interim) head coach, Rich Bisaccia accomplished exactly that.
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Slowly Evolving Dominance
The initial counterpoint to this feat could be that the Raiders opponents have teetered on the verge of “lackluster”, but that could make this point even more telling. Las Vegas has done exactly what good teams do against lesser opponents: they dominate them. For the last couple of years, the Raiders have made nearly every win interesting by including some sort of rollercoaster turn of events and keeping the opposition’s dream of victory alive.
Unicorn Victories
Convincing victories being so rare, and with how quickly past seasons have turned sour, may have had a lasting effect on fans. Following two impressive victories, a rising feeling around RaiderNation is hesitancy to celebrate. The lack of excitement is a bit asinine, considering the season being a third of the way complete and the Raiders being tied for first in the entire AFC. But, RaiderNation has been hurt before.
Hard Truth
However, it is entirely possible the Raiders simply did not have the proper coaching to ride through the tumultuous NFL season and secure a playoff spot. Now, despite a mere two head coaching appearances, it feels like the Raiders have found their match in coach Bisaccia. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr reported that Bisaccia earned the respect of his locker room prior to filling in for Gruden. Plus, the team’s faith in him strengthened since being instated. Promoting from within is something losing popularity across the NFL. Many teams in the market for a new coach strangely do not necessarily trust applicants from the same coaching tree as the man they would be replacing, and that has always been a bit confusing.
Easy Fit
Why is it so much more appealing to bring someone in that does not have a grasp of the locker room? Obviously, trust in a new coach can occur over time. In contrast, from a chemistry standpoint, it seems that previously earned trust, like the trust Bisaccia had as the team’s special teams coach, is significantly stronger than the “I will learn to trust you because you are my coach” mentality. For Carr and other non-special-teams players to vouch for Bisaccia shows the level of respect this man deserves. Carr’s interactions with the team’s new coach most likely were minimal prior to his promotion. However, Carr already sings his praises.
Work Ahead
While Bisaccia’s head coaching resume sits at a mere two games, the case for him could grow. With the Chiefs, Bengals, and Cowboys making up three of the Raiders’ next four opponents, emerging from this stretch knowing exactly what time of coach the Raiders have should be expected.
