Heading into Sunday, the Raiders had a fairly decent shot at making the playoffs. They needed a win against the highly-inconsistent Chargers at home and a Broncos loss to the Chiefs. Tim Tebow and company could not handle Kansas City, but the Raiders blew their opportunity anyway. Oakland’s defense could not stop the talented San Diego offense. After the game, head coach Hue Jackson expressed disappointment in pretty much everyone but himself.
“I’m pissed at my team,” Jackson said after the game according to the Oakland Tribune. “At some point in time, as a group of men, you go in the game, and you can say whatever you want about coaches, you win the game. Here’s your time. Here’s your time to make plays. So, yeah, I’m pissed at the team. I’m also, like I tell them, I’ll always put it on me, but I am pissed at my team.”
Typically a coach will shoulder the blame for a loss regardless of the circumstances, but Jackson didn’t exactly give us the impression that he was willing to do that. Not only did he take aim at his players, he also expressed disappointment in defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan.
“Chuck knows how I feel,” Jackson continued. “I’m disappointed over there. I have been. It’s not like we haven’t had conversations. Chuck knows what I feel, and it’s not good enough. When you play defense in the NFL, man, you got to hunt. You can’t give up 28, 29 points and expect to win.”
So how can the Raiders prevent a similar collapse next season? They have to give Jackson more power, of course.
“I’m going take a stronger hand in this whole team, this whole organization. There ain’t no way that I’m going to feel like I feel today a year from now, I promise you that. There’s no question. Defensively, offensively and special teams. I aint feeling like this no more. This is a joke. Yeah, I’m going to take a hand in everything that goes on here.”
As far as pointing fingers goes, Jackson pretty much covered all angles. You can’t just throw a tiny quote in about everything falling on you and then toss every other member of the organization under the bus. That’s a complete cop out on his part. If the defense wasn’t prepared or the players weren’t motivated, that is Hue’s fault. The players have to execute and everyone is partially responsible for a loss, but everything that happens is under his supervision. Jackson needs to hold himself more accountable if he wants to become a respected leader.
