Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce took over the team after a Week 3 loss to the Panthers and said his players made a “business decision” regarding maximum effort on the field. .
The comment garnered a lot of attention, and it will be interesting to see how the team responds in Sunday's game against the Browns. They responded with a 20-16 victory with wide receiver Davante Adams, defensive end Maxx Crosby and several other starters who were on the inactive list.
After the win, Pearce praised his team's response but said he was sorry for the distraction.
“It's been a trying week. There's been a lot of fuss and stuff,” Pearce said. “I think I probably started with my comment, and I apologize for that. I don't want to get distracted like that, but I think we were just going to work every day. As things unfolded throughout the week, The players never flinched or blinked.”
The Raiders have had a roller coaster ride through the first month of the season, finishing with a 2-2 record, so it's hard to get a clear picture of what kind of team they'll be this season. Next Sunday's game against the 2-2 Broncos should provide a little more insight into that answer.
