What’s next for the Raiders after firing Josh McDaniels and Dave Ziegler?

There’s no word yet on who will handle the offensive play-calling duties for the Raiders, as that has been McDaniels’ job.

McDaniels was just 9-16 with the Raiders, including 3-5 this season, and he and Ziegler were at the helm of some of the most embarrassing losses in franchise history, including:

• It had the largest lead in franchise history with a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 2 of last season after leading by 20 points.

• Falling to the Indianapolis Colts, who were led by an interim coach in Jeff Saturday who had never coached above the high school level before, in Week 10 of last season. This was the only win on Saturday in the eight games he coached last year.

• Wasting a double-digit lead against the Los Angeles Rams and quarterback Baker Mayfield, who had joined the team just two days earlier, last December.

• New Orleans was shut out in Week 8 last season when its starting offense failed to get past the 50-yard line.

• Losing to undrafted Division II rookie quarterback Tyson Bagent in his Chicago Bears debut in Week 7 of this season.

The duo of McDaniels and Ziegler took over a team that went 10-7 in 2021 and advanced to the playoffs for just the second time since 2002. While offense was supposed to be McDaniels’ forte, the Raiders’ offense has exploded this season. They are the No. 31 total offense in the NFL in yards per game (268.3), No. 32 in rushing yards per game (70.0) and No. 30 in points scored per game (15.8).

The transition from nine-year starting quarterback Derek Carr to oft-injured Jimmy Garoppolo was no coincidence, as Garoppolo had already missed two and a half games with a concussion and a back injury, yet still led the league with nine interceptions. There has been buzz about the team possibly moving on from Garoppolo, who signed a three-year, $72.75 million free agent contract in March, but he is coming off one of the worst statistical outings of his career in Monday’s loss to the Detroit Lions, in favor of rookie Aidan O’Connell.

So how did that happen, and what should we expect from the Raiders the rest of the 2023 season and beyond?

Why would you make this move now instead of during the bye week or at the end of the season?

Simply put, Raiders owner Mark Davis has seen enough and realized the staff’s mistake. Additionally, Raiders fans have literally gotten in his face in recent games and at the Las Vegas Aces’ championship parade — Davis also owns two-time WNBA champions — begging him to fire McDaniels to make an impact.

The bye week doesn’t come until the 13th week of December, and really, what have the Raiders put on film lately to show they’re ready to turn the corner? There is talent on the roster, underutilized talent, that could benefit from a hit from a fiery leader like Pierce. Not much different than what the Raiders rode with Rich Bisaccia two years ago to a playoff berth. There are two winnable home games on the horizon with the New York Giants and New York Jets coming to Allegiant Stadium, so there’s no better time than the present to salvage a season and get back to .500, right?

The Raiders seemed very interested in seeing a McDaniels-Ziegler partnership. What has changed?

Lack of a clear and truly successful plan. While few in the building were upset about moving on from Carr, especially with the way he left the team after being benched with two games remaining last season, the oft-injured Garoppolo signed him to a big contract despite knowing he would need surgery. In his left foot. He looked…desperate. Using the No. 7 overall pick on a pass rusher who was coming off surgery on Tyree Wilson’s right foot looked similar.

However, signing Carr to a contract extension and giving him a no-trade clause, allowing him to leave without the Raiders getting anything in return, didn’t sit well. Losing games through increasingly embarrassing costumes with Raiders alumni chiming in on social media has certainly been noticed. Wasting the likes of wide receivers Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow, along with the running backs of Josh Jacobs on offense — as well as defensive end Maxx Crosby on defense — well, that was unconscionable.

Who are the players who could benefit from this move taking place now?

There is no doubt that the new player, whoever he is, will want to get Adams more involved. He hasn’t had a TD catch since Week 3 and came off an 11-yard play at Detroit. Jacobs, the NFL’s all-time rushing leader, has yet to rush for 100 yards in a game this season. Renfrew, who had 103 assists two seasons ago, has just 10 on 16 goals. And if Pierce wants to go with the rookie over the defeated Garoppolo, O’Connell would benefit as well.

What is the pulse of the locker room and how can it develop after this move?

After the frustrating loss to the Lions, the Raiders’ locker room looked like a shrine to Adams, who is usually a dictionary And Thesaurus of post-game screams was at a loss for words. Crosby, who was trying to send a message to Detroit by rocking a Ron Artest Indiana Pacers jersey (malice in the minors, anyone?), seemed, well, definitely changed Artest and was more approachable and soft. The usually sociable Jacobs was grumpy.

Although it may not be well constructed, it is a very top-heavy roster with a large number of frustrated and unhappy stars. Hitting reset now could renew that love for the game that Garoppolo spoke about in his postgame presser. It remains to be seen how this translates into success on the ground.

Who could be on the radar to be the Raiders’ next coach and general manager?

However, it will be interesting to see if Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh tires of his battles with the NCAA and is actually interested in Las Vegas. After all, his coaching career began with the Raiders as QB coach in 2002.

What are realistic expectations for the rest of the season?

Few, if any, teams actually suffer the emotional trauma heading into the playoffs. However, the Reds showed it was possible two years ago. Look, there’s still talent scattered on this roster, at all three stages. If it’s as simple as motivating players, Pierce should have an advantage over the oft-described obsessive McDaniels. However, offensive play is key. The Raiders’ upcoming two-game set against the Giants and Jets will tell the tale. Check again.