The 2023 Las Vegas Raiders were a textbook example of doing too little, too late. The Raiders have steadied and established an identity under interim head coach Antonio Pierce after a 3-5 start to the season that culminated in the sacking of head coach Josh McDaniels following a catastrophic Monday Night loss to the Detroit Lions.
They have only gone 4-4 under Pierce’s stewardship since his Week 9 debut, but they have also posted the league’s third-best defense in terms of EPA allowed per play in that span behind only the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears. Yes, that stretch has included going against the likes of Tommy DeVito, Zach Wilson, Nick Mullens and Easton Stick, but the Raiders have also played against Patrick Mahomes twice in this stretch and held the high-flying Miami Dolphins to only 20 points.