When the whip comes down. In all seriousness, that’s where I actually was for the “decisive” moments of Sunday’s game. As I mentioned previously, the DirecTv was fucked up by roofers on Friday. So Sammy and I took the kids to a bar to watch the game. I wrestled with the “do I really WANT them to win” issue beforehand. But it doesn’t really matter, does it? Before the season, JIC Godfather Daniel Chang told me he hoped that the team would start 0-4 so they would fire McCoy. I responded that I tried that approach last year and it didn’t work. Plus, I added, I wasn’t even sure they’d fire him if they started that way. Here we are and that’s exactly what has happened.
Ok, they are 1-4. But that one win was to Jacksonville. That’s the only type of team we beat these days. Yet Kevin Acee wrote today that John Spanos is STILL looking for a reason not to fire McCoy. Why? It’s well documented that he has never changed his style even though it rarely leads to winning. After the kids went home with Sammy, I stayed until the Bolts went down by 10. With two Raider fans somewhere in the bar (with one guy wearing a bandana like a WCW wrestler), I decided to listen on Sirius. Gordon’s fumble was the thing that upset me the most. From my vantage point, it seemed like McCoy should have challenged the 3rd down catch by Crabtree and the Steve Williams drop. However, Jay Posner told me I was wrong. But for Gordon to cough it up in that spot for the second week in a row? He’s a guy who we’d build around unless we bail again like Ryan Mathews. Yes, I knew Mathews fumbled at Detroit. But for Gordon to look like this is now really alarming.
I listened to the TD drive as I drove home and to the drive that followed. It was nice to hear Bosa get his second sack, especially in a key spot. You could tell how much better he was than almost anyone else out there. It was reminiscent of Merriman’s breakout game in Indy in 2005. I listened to the drive that followed until the long catch by Benjamin. That’s when I decided to use the bathroom. I discovered that the Sirius app was behind the broadcast on the car radio and decided to follow on Twitter. The last time I did that was at the end of the game at Baltimore in 2014. Maybe it would bring similar results? Honestly, I think I just knew nothing good would happen. I couldn’t have expected a dropped snap from the guy who couldn’t punt 20 yards. But I could have easily told you that McCoy would NEVER go on 4th down. FAITHFUL READER, you already knew that. I was insulted that he even had Rivers do his hard count on 4th earlier in the game. I was shocked that the Raiders fell for it when he was never going to go for it.
Yes, I know the spot was wrong. But if Gordon needed a yard, he’d get a half. They haven’t been able to get the first down on the ground when it mattered most all year. I blasted Wisenhunt for not using Gordon in KC and then he couldn’t finish in Indy. Now he’s fumbled in consecutive weeks. I didn’t see his 3rd down run, but that’s what he needs to be able to convert. I didn’t know what happened exactly until after the fumbled snap. But it didn’t matter. It’s gone way beyond McCoy at this point.
Don’t get me wrong, he needs to go. But he’s needed to go for ages now. The fact that Raiders went on 4th and according to fellow Deadhead Mike Silver, players feed off that, speaks volumes. I’m sure the Chargers are similarly uninspired by McCoy. The article by Silver suggests that some Chargers wanted to see them go for it. I’d have been more upset if McCoy suddenly acted like he was anything but the pussy he’s always been. No player could really think he’d go. He’s never gone in that spot and never will. That’s why he won’t get a job as a head coach after this one.
Rivers didn’t look at the play and I don’t blame him. He wasn’t sitting on the toilet, but might as well have been. That guy, faults and all, plays his ass off with less and less support. When Tyrell Williams didn’t cut up field to convert a first earlier in the game, he rightfully gave him shit. He was also giving Fluker a hard time. After the loss, more people chimed in with the “save Philip sentiment.” I’ve already made it clear that I can’t support the idea of giving him a chance elsewhere. At this point, we’re all stuck in this.
Of course, it doesn’t really matter what I think. I’ll be watching tomorrow but caring a little less than I did the week before. That’s just sad.
At least it’s a long week before the Atlanta game. That should be a fun one.
JIC,
RLW
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