Las Vegas Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have had a vacancy at head coach since Jon Gruden resigned in October, but they still have a lot of work to do to fill the opening.

"The Raiders have done some research and planning, but no requests are in, and it appears they have not yet gone through the process, per team sources," Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported.

A new NFL rule allows teams with opening to start interviewing candidates before the end of the season, but the Raiders have not taken advantage. The Jacksonville Jaguars, conversely, have already interviewed Doug Pederson and put in several requests for interviews with current assistant coaches.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported in November that the Raiders hadn't begun their coaching search and had also "rebuffed inquiries from many interested parties."

La Canfora added that owner Mark Davis wanted to keep his team focused on trying to make the playoffs instead of the coaching search.

The 8-7 squad has won the past two games under interim coach Rich Bisaccia, who is 5-5 overall since taking over for Gruden. The team closes the year with games against the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers, two other competitors for AFC playoff spots.

The organization has made just one playoff appearance since 2002—a first-round loss in 2016—which means any postseason opportunity is something to take seriously.

However, this approach could hurt the Raiders' chances to land a quality head-coaching candidate in the offseason.    

Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Wednesday, per Tashan Reed of The Athletic.

Waller missed time earlier this season with a knee injury, although he appeared in all 16 games in each of the previous two years.

When healthy, he is one of the best tight ends in the league. He broke out in 2019 with 90 catches for 1,145 yards and three touchdowns and followed it with a Pro Bowl effort in 2020 with 107 catches for 1,196 yards and nine touchdowns.

The Georgia Tech product has 53 catches for 643 yards and two touchdowns this season.

Waller's ability to beat both safeties and linebackers downfield makes him a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, and the Raiders don't have anyone else on the roster who can replicate his impact.

Look for Foster Moreau to see more playing time if the starting tight end is sidelined.       

As the Pittsburgh Steelers start to look toward their future, quarterback is the most obvious position they will need to address before 2022.

Per The Athletic's Mike Sando, one offensive coach in the NFL suggested that Derek Carr "would be a great fit" for the Steelers if the Las Vegas Raiders look to trade him.

"They are almost winning the division with what they have now, and they are missing out at the quarterback position because they are so limited based on not being able to make the tougher throws," the coach said of the Steelers' current offense with Ben Roethlisberger.

Roethlisberger has not yet indicated if he will retire, but ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Dec. 4 that the 39-year-old has told some people in the Steelers organization and former teammates he doesn't expect to be back with Pittsburgh in 2022. 

The Steelers would seem likely to be one of the more attractive openings for any quarterback looking for a new team this offseason. They have a level of organizational stability that is rare for any professional sports franchise. 

Kevin Colbert has been in the front office since 2000 and has been general manager since 2010. Mike Tomlin has been the Steelers head coach since 2007. 

Pittsburgh already has a talented roster around the quarterback in place. Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool have combined for 1,885 receiving yards this season. Najee Harris has 1,406 yards from scrimmage and nine total touchdowns as a rookie. T.J. Watt is arguably the best defensive player in the NFL. 

The Steelers need to upgrade their offensive line, which has been a problem for the past two seasons. The current group entered Week 16 with the sixth-worst overall grade in the NFL, per Pro Football Focus' Sam Monson:

The Steelers have allowed one of the lowest pressure rates in the NFL, but that's due in large part to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger getting the ball out of his hand in just 2.18 seconds on average, the quickest time in the league. Despite that, four of the five starters have allowed multiple sacks, and the unit's run blocking is poor. Pittsburgh is averaging just 0.9 yards before contact per rush this season, ranking 29th in the league.

Carr continues to be a steady performer for the Raiders. He's never taken the leap into becoming an elite player, but Pittsburgh would probably be better than a fringe playoff contender right now with even average play at quarterback. 

A three-time Pro Bowler, Carr has thrown for at least 4,000 yards in four consecutive seasons, including 2021. He has 20 touchdown passes for the third straight year and is completing 68.7 percent of his attempts. 

When the Raiders were rumored to be looking at Aaron Rodgers last summer, Derek Carr threatened to retire if he had to play anywhere else. 

It's unclear at this point what the Raiders' plans for 2022 will be. They have to hire a full-time head coach, with Richard Bisaccia serving that role on an interim basis. 

Las Vegas is tied with the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers with an 8-7 record in the race for the AFC's final playoff spot.     

The Las Vegas Raiders placed receiver Bryan Edwards and quarterback Marcus Mariota on the reserve/COVID-19 list ahead of Sunday's game against the Denver Broncos.

Las Vegas added safety Roderic Teamer, guard Jermaine Eluemunor and cornerback Brandon Facyson to the list earlier this week, while Nate Hobbs was activated from the list Saturday.

It makes the Raiders slightly short-handed going into a key AFC West battle between two teams with a 7-7 record.

Las Vegas already had its Week 15 matchup with the Cleveland Browns delayed from last Saturday to Monday because of an outbreak within the Browns organization.

The Raiders could struggle in the passing attack without Edwards, who scored his third touchdown of the year last game. He also has 30 catches for 508 yards in his second NFL season.

With tight end Darren Waller still dealing with a knee injury, there are few trustworthy pass-catchers behind Hunter Renfrow. Veteran DeSean Jackson could see a bigger role in Week 16.

Mariota has mostly been used on gadget plays as a backup quarterback behind Derek Carr this season. He appeared in four snaps last game, per Pro Football Reference, totaling one rush for three years.

The former Tennessee Titans quarterback has 48 rushing yards in 2021 but zero pass attempts.

His absence still creates uncertainty behind Carr, with Nathan Peterman now the No. 2 option after being activated from the practice squad.    

The Las Vegas Raiders are reportedly expected to interview Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to fill their head coaching vacancy, according to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports.

Raiders coach Jon Gruden resigned in October after emails using racist, homophobic and misogynistic language were released.

Bowles spent four years as head coach of the New York Jets, producing a 24-40 overall record, before spending the past three years with the Buccaneers.

The Jets went 10-6 in 2015 under Bowles, representing the organization's last winning season.

The 58-year-old has found more success with the Buccaneers, helping the team bring home the Super Bowl last season. The defense finished sixth in the NFL in yards allowed in 2020 before notably shutting down Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs offense in the title game.

Tampa Bay has dealt with significant injuries in 2021, but the defense still ranks 12th in yards allowed this year. The squad is 10-4 overall and a top contender to win another Super Bowl.

New NFL rules allow teams with head coach openings to interview candidates starting next week, rather than waiting for the postseason. This could give coaches like Bowles who are still involved in the playoffs a better chance to land a job.

One challenge for the Raiders could be to lure Bowles away from the Buccaneers. According to La Canfora, the coach is viewed as a potential replacement for the 69-year-old Bruce Arians.

Las Vegas is seeking someone to take the team back to the postseason after earning just one playoff appearance since 2002. The squad is 7-7 in 2021 but still considered a long shot to make the postseason after five losses in the last seven games.

Rich Bisaccia is 4-5 as an interim coach.   

The Las Vegas Raiders defeated the Cleveland Browns 16-14 on Monday. The game was rescheduled from Saturday because of a COVID-19 outbreak within Cleveland's organization.

The Raiders ended a two-game skid and improved to 7-7. Derek Carr finished with 236 yards, a touchdown and an interception. Daniel Carlson drilled a game-winning 48-yard field goal as time expired.

Nick Mullens threw for 147 yards and a touchdown as the Browns fell to 7-7. Nick Chubb added 91 rushing yards and a score.

Cleveland was without several key players who are in the health and safety protocols, including starting quarterback Baker Mayfield, backup quarterback Case Keenum, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, tight end Austin Hooper and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was also forced to miss the game.

Notable Stats

Derek Carr, QB, LV: 25-of-38 for 236 YDS, TD, INT

Nick Mullens, QB, CLE: 20-of-30 for 147 YDS, TD

Nick Chubb, RB, CLE: 23 CAR for 91 YDS, TD

Raiders Win Despite Defensive Breakdown in Second Half

Las Vegas entered the game ranked 26th in the NFL after allowing an average of 125.3 yards on the ground. The Browns entered with the fourth-ranked rushing offense at 143.5 yards per game. That recipe would have seemed to spell disaster for the Raiders, but for much of Monday's game Cleveland was completely stifled by Las Vegas.

While facing a third string quarterback, the Las Vegas defense completely focused on shutting down Cleveland's vaunted rushing attack. The Browns were held to just 12 yards on the ground in the first half.

Chubb, who entered the game ranked fifth in the NFL with 926 rushing yards, had just 19 yards on his first nine carries. But he finally broke through with a 24-yard run in the third quarter that led to a four-yard touchdown.

As the game wore on, the Raiders defense looked worn out. Chubb continued to chug away and kept Las Vegas on its heels. Cleveland put together a 14-play, 80-yard drive to take the lead.

Things looked bleak for the Raiders when Carr threw an interception on the ensuing possession with a little over two minutes left. But the defense held up and forced the Browns to punt, giving Carr one more chance and he delivered to set up the winning field goal.

Las Vegas desperately needed to win on Sunday to keep its playoff hopes alive. The Raiders could have folded when Cleveland went ahead late in the fourth quarter, but the team showed its grit to steal a road win. Las Vegas will have to continue to grind out close games to give itself a chance at competing for a spot in the postseason.

Browns Can't Overcome Short-handed Roster

Cleveland did what it needed to do to put itself in position to win despite missing so many key players. But the Browns just couldn't hold on when it mattered most, allowing the Raiders to march down the field for the game-winning field goal.

Cleveland should be commended for the fight it showed while playing with so many replacement players. Mullens made timely throws in the fourth quarter to spearhead a second-half comeback. Browns leading receiver Donovan Peoples-Jones made some big catches on third down to help set up the go-ahead touchdown.

When Cleveland made it down to the red zone, acting head coach Mike Priefer didn't hesitate to go for it on fourth-and-5 and Mullens delivered with a touchdown pass to Bryant.

The Browns also made more of a concerted effort to feed Chubb in the second half. The workhorse back had just 14 yards on six carries in the first half and finished with 91 yards and a score on 23 carries to surpass 1,000 yards for the third straight season.

Cleveland had a chance to take over first place in the AFC North with a win. But the depleted roster proved too much for the team to overcome.

The Browns are still alive in the playoff hunt, but Monday's loss is a major setback to the team's chances.

What's Next?

The Raiders will return to action on Sunday at home against the Denver Broncos. The Browns will have a short week as they travel to take on the Green Bay Packers on Saturday.

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis isn't pleased with the NFL's decision to move his team's Saturday matchup against Cleveland to Monday because of a COVID-19 outbreak within the Browns organization. 

Davis told ESPN's Paul Gutierrez that moving the game back is a "competitive disadvantage to the Raiders," noting his team will now have a short week to prepare for a divisional matchup against the Denver Broncos on Dec. 26. 

"Health and safety is always No. 1, but it's tough," Davis said. "Maybe Cleveland should travel here. That would make it more fair."

In addition to Davis, several other Raiders players criticized the NFL's decision to push back Saturday's game, including linebacker K.J. Wright, guard Jermaine Eluemunor, cornerback Casey Hayward and linebacker Will Compton. 

While the Raiders are outraged, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell explained his decision to push back the Raiders-Browns game, and two other matchups, in a memo sent to every team on Friday.

The Browns have a total of 24 players on the reserve/COVID-19 list, including quarterback Baker Mayfield, wide receiver Jarvis Landry, tight end Austin Hooper, running back Kareem Hunt and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney. 

The Raiders currently have no players on the reserve/COVID-19 list.