Antonio Pierce reveals his unique strategy to stop Patrick Mahomes

Aug 26, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders linebackers coach Antonio Pierce watches from the sidelines against the New England Patriots at Allegiant Stadium. The Raiders defeated the Patriots 23-6. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Antonio Pierce knows that for his tenure as Las Vegas Raiders coach to be a success, he will have to find a way to slow down Patrick Mahomes and the division rival Kansas City Chiefs. To that end, he is taking some inspiration from the NBA in formulating a plan to do that.

Pierce appeared on Maxx Crosby’s “The Rush” podcast and discussed how the Raiders must “knock off the head of the snake” in order to succeed against the Chiefs. That is Mahomes, and it is why Pierce is looking to the infamous “Jordan rules” used by the 1980s Detroit Pistons to slow down a young Michael Jordan.

“We’ve got the Jordan rules and we’ve got what I’m calling now, from now on as long as I’m here, the Patrick Mahomes rules,” Pierce said, via Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. “You remember when Jordan was going through it with the Pistons, all those guys in the ’80s before he became Michael Jordan, Air Jordan, the Pistons used to whip his a–. Any time he came to the hole, elbows, feeling him, love taps. We’re in his head, mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, I’m touching you. So I showed my guys Jordan getting his a– whooped.”

It will be a bit tougher for the Raiders to impose their will on Mahomes the way the Pistons did against Jordan. They’d have to get pressure on Mahomes, first of all, and an overly physical approach could easily lead to a slew of roughing the passer fouls that would not benefit the Raiders at all. More likely, Pierce wants to see his team play tough and physical and keep Mahomes under pressure as much as possible to try to rattle him.

Mahomes is not easily rattled, though Pierce already has some proof of concept that his plan can succeed. If the Raiders can make that happen regularly against the Chiefs, they will be in business, but that is easier said than done.