Raiders Want to Build Upon Victory Over Giants

The Las Vegas Raiders came together as a team and won arguably the most important game of their season. They plan to quickly move on to this week against the New York Jets.

After Coach Josh McDaniels was replaced by Interim Coach Antonio Pierce, the week of practice that followed suggested the Las Vegas Raiders were a different team. 

Sunday's 30-6 victory over the New York Giants proved as much.

The Raiders have spent most of this season trying to figure out how to get over disappointing losses. 

After their dominating performance against the Giants, the question becomes how they will enjoy a victory and move on from such an emotionally charged week to face the New York Jets on Sunday Night Football. 

"They got two days off; victory Monday," Interim Coach Antonio Pierce said. "They will come in Wednesday and we'll start working on the Jets. That's how we'll do it. The Giants game is over. We're not doing anything looking backward. That's not going to help us going forward."

The Raiders followed up a two-game winning streak with two consecutive losses. Both losses left the Raiders in dire need of major changes, with quarterback being one of those changes.

Rookie quarterback Aidan O'Connell described the feeling in the locker room following the Raiders' victory on Sunday. 

“I think the guys are definitely tired, but ecstatic to have been able to perform like that," O'Connell said. "I think it's just hard. It was obviously my first experience like that in the NFL, but it's a hard situation that happened this week.

"And so, I think the guys felt relieved and happy and just super joyful that we could perform like this. It was definitely rocking in the locker room."

In his introductory press conference, Coach Pierce said he wanted to see more smiles around the building. It is a lot easier to do that after a victory. 

"It was just great to see all the smiles from the coaches, players and administration," O'Connell said. "That's really what keeps you going and why you do it at the end of the day.” 

There seemed to be a weight lifted off the shoulders of the players, which translated to the field. The next goal for what looks like a new Raiders team is to string two good weeks together and then, maybe even three good weeks. 

The Silver and Black will remain at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas to take on the New York Jets on Sunday, Nov. 12, at 8:20 p.m. EST/5:20 p.m. PST.

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