McKenzie Administration Sitting On Hot Seats

Terrell White – Oct 13, 2012

Holla At Me Raider Nation!

Reggie McKenzie pleading with Raider Nation to have patience means I think it's safe to say that the McKenzie/Allen, Raider Nation honeymoon is now over. Raider Nation doesn't want to hear any more excuses. This team needs to start winning, and they need to start winning now.

The problem is, I don't believe the Raiders will beat the Falcons, Why? Simple, thus far the Raiders haven't given anyone a real reason to believe that the team is capable of winning a game against an opponent that they should lose to.

My challenge to McKenzie and the Raiders is; prove me wrong.

It's games like this this one against the Falcons that gave birth to the phrase "Just Win Baby!" That's the ONLY reason I'm looking forward to this Sunday's game against Atlanta. I want to see if the Raiders can Just find a way to Win (Baby).

It will also be interesting to see IF the team can win a game after their bye week; something the team hasn't done in about a decade.

If (the biggest two letter word in the American Language) the Raiders can find a way to win this game it would position the team for an opportunity to go on a mini winning streak; something the team is in desperate need of doing.

The next three opponents after this game against the Falcons are: the Jags (home game), the Chiefs (road game) and the Bucs (home game). All teams the Raiders should be able to compete with, and beat!!

After the home game against Tampa, Oakland begins the third quarter of the season with a road game in Baltimore against the Ravens (another team, at this point that I don't see the Raiders beating, but I digress).

A win streak could put the team at 5-3 before they have to face the Ravens in Baltimore. However, we've got a long road ahead of us before we get to that point. Right now, not only do the Raiders need to find a way to Just Win Baby! They've got to find a way to stop getting embarrassed in their losses.

Don't misunderstand me, my ire isn't really directed at the team. My personal ire is directed at Reggie McKenzie. Why? The Answer is simple: You think you're Al Davis? Okay you go ahead and keep thinking that, BUT don't come to me, or any other member of Raider Nation asking for patience.

PATIENCE!

What do you think we've been?

We've been patiently waiting for what we saw a glimpse of last season! You know, the season that you and Dennis Allen want us to pretend never happened. This team was a step away from the division title and a playoff berth. Raider Nation isn't just going to forget that happened because it took place before you took over.

It was YOU who fired Hue Jackson. It was also YOU who hired Dennis Allen; Dennis Allen, the first defensive minded coach since the days of John Madden. I don't know how many times I've read that statement. My question is: Why is the first defensive minded coach, since the days of John Madden altering the Raider offense?

In my view, right now it's looking rather stupid (for lack of a better word) of Reggie Mckenzie to bring in a rookie defensive minded head coach, only to have that man then dismantle the successful Raider offense.

As I said in a prior article Reggie McKenzie, and by extension Dennis Allen, want to act like last season never happened. They want us to pretend that the team wasn't successful. HELLO! The team won eight games last season, not two.

McKenzie & Allen are going to have to deal with the fact Raider Nation remembers last season! As far as I'm concerned, they were both crazy to think that the Nation would go from an eight win season to a two win season, and not complain about it!

McKenzie and Allen had to know that they needed to win right away if they wanted the Nation to (quietly) support their restructure of the team. You can get away with anything, as long as you're WINNING!

The problem McKenzie, Allen, and the Raiders have right now is that their not just losing - their being embarrassed! Truth be told, Raider Nation can tolerate the team losing games. However, NO ONE wants to sit through yet another embarrasing loss!

If that should happen, well as Rick Ricardo used to say "LUCY, (Reggie), you've got some splaining to do!"

RAIDER NATION IS TIRED OF THIS TEAM SUFFERING EMBARRASSING LOSSES!

Don't misunderstand me, I don't believe that Mark Davis is going to fire Reggie McKenzie (or should at this point) . Moreover, Mark Davis is in no mood to do any more press conferences any time soon. For better, or worse Raider Nation is stuck with McKenzie guiding this team.

However, that doesn't mean that others in the administration won't be sitting on hot seats.

Soon, if it hasn't happened already, people are not only going to be calling for the firing of Greg Knapp; their going to be calling for the firing of Dennis Allen! Which is going to make the firing of Hue Jackson by Reggie McKenzie all that more of a problem.

People with common sense, and those who understand football are going to say, (as it pertains to Reggie McKenzie): If you were going to change the offense what you needed to do was give your rookie defensive minded head coach, a great / tested / proven Offensive Coordinator - and that is NOT Greg Knapp!!

Raider Nation also, (as it pertains to Reggie McKenzie) is going to be wondering what is your main goal? We knew that the teams play would suffer a bit with McKenzie looking to balance the salary cap. However, what's more important: saving money, or winning?

With Al Davis, we knew that money wasn't more important than winning. Reggie is going to have to prove that he has the same mind set. I leave you with one small example. Kamerion Wimbley.

Sure he was somewhat over paid, BUT he did give the Raiders something that the team sure could use now: a player that can speed rush the passer! I can't help but wonder how different that game against Peyton Manning would have been if the team had someone, anyone that could speed rush the quarterback!

Peyton Manning (and others) have had all day to throw the ball against our defense. Furthermore, the players selected by McKenzie to play corner: Ron Bartell and Shawntae Spencer have given the team nothing. Both injured before we got them, are guess what? Injured now!

I'll even do something that I rarely do - give you some stats:

Under Reggie McKenzie's guidance the defense has allowed opposing quarterbacks to completer 75% of their passes! We're giving up over 400 yards a game and over 30points a game! Thus far, we've given up 125 points in only 4 games; a Raider record!