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Answering Your Las Vegas Raiders Questions:

We take time to answer your emails and questions about your beloved Las Vegas Raiders: Have they quit on Coach Josh McDaniels?

HENDERSON, Nev.--The Las Vegas Raiders have one of the most passionate fan bases in all of professional sports.

Each week we endeavor to answer the emails and questions that you send us. So let's get right at this week's mailbag.

Hondo, do you still feel this team can make the playoffs, and do you still believe in Josh McDaniels?  You are always just factual and have no emotion, I need that.  --Bruce G.

They have made it difficult, but yes, I do think this team can make the playoffs, and yes, I do believe in Josh McDaniels. Please remember this, my job is not to be a cheerleader or a depression dealer. My job is to tell you what I think, and that is what I truly think.

Hondo, I have been a Raider fan for 44 years.  Throughout my time in the Silver and Black world, I have been angry at a player or coach but never embarrassed by my team.  On Sunday, I saw no fire, no zeal, and no one holding others accountable.  For the first time, I was embarrassed to be a Raider.  I have sold my remaining tickets for this season.  If they don't care, I am not spending the extra money to come there every weekend.  I am not angry, I am sad, perhaps now, apathetic. --Mr. R.

I have said often that the owner, players, referees, cheerleaders, support staff, and media are all paid to be there.  It is ONLY the fan who pays. You have every right to be angry, and I can't argue with anything you said.

Hondo, have the Raiders quit on Josh McDaniels? --Efraim M.

I do not think so, but the performance on Sunday said something. If they play like that again, then I think that is a germane point, but in talking to them, on and off the record, that is not what I think.

Hondo, I am sorry, but Josh McDaniels has no impact on this team. All I know is that we wouldn't have played like we did Sunday under Rich Bisaccia. This team fought for and loved him.  Our present team doesn't seem to dislike him, it is like he isn't there. --P. Wright

Hondo, I am sure Josh is a good guy, but his record as a head coach says it all. Bring back Jon Gruden or Rich Bisaccia.  We were better with both. -- Allen T.

Hondo, I know you think Josh McDaniels is a good coach.  I respect your opinion, and I am an emotional fan, but if the team plays like they did last week any time later this season, I am done.  No passion, no love, no fight. --Susan M.

I can see why you are all frustrated. I respect that. The team was lifeless, and that is simply unacceptable.

Hondo, enjoy your coverage of the Raiders very much.  IMHO it's painfully obvious the lack of fortifying the OL and Interior DL in the off-season is hurting the teams progress. Whose feet does the blame fall on in your opinion, Owner, GM or HC? Thanks.  --Raider Tony

That is a great, and fair question, but we have to take an honest look. There is a salary cap, and since they arrived, Dave Ziegler and Josh McDaniels have taken a long approach to run the team.  

If they didn't feel a player was worth a pick or a price or mortgaged too much of the future they haven't gone for it. I understand your concerns, but bad teams are usually that way because of poor management first.  

Great players don't grow on trees. I know of one player who people have been clamoring for, who is cancer in the locker room. That is why no one has signed him. I can assure you of this, Dave and Josh are looking under every rock, but they won't panic and make a bad deal. Whether you agree or not, that discipline is exactly who they are, and Mark Davis knows it.

Have players given any indication that these schemes are failing?  --Thanks, Gary Stern, White Plains, NY

I haven't heard one complaint on either side of the ball from any player, on or off the record as it pertains to the scheme failing.  Is it difficult?  Yes, but not failing.

Hondo, throughout this week, have you gotten any clarity as to what happened? --Chris D.

I am not sure, but I will share something that struck me. First, let me give you the transcript of what Offensive Coordinator Mick Lombardi said:

"I think we obviously didn't do anything good enough in that game. It starts with us as coaches doing a better job of getting the players ready to go. Our level of urgency as a staff to them wasn't where it should have been." 

When he said that, I literally said to myself: "No way he just said that." I have done this for decades, and I was stunned.  You can watch the actual video below for yourself.

So I asked Josh McDaniels about that quote. Here is the transcript of my question and his answer:

Q: Mick Lombardi yesterday talked about the staff did not do a good job of conveying a sense of urgency to the players. At this level with so much on the line, does it concern you that the players needed to have that sense of urgency conveyed to them, and didn't just have it?

Coach McDaniels: “I mean, you all have to have it. This is the National Football League and, look, our job is to prepare and win. You know, that's what we get paid to do. So, if you need a big pep talk, or a big speech, or anything like that to get yourself excited to compete at this level, that's always a potential issue. But I felt our players, they were ready to practice last week. I thought they had a good week of practice and preparation. That has not been our M.0., that has not been our identity this year. And we're going to work very hard to make sure that we don't allow that to happen again going forward. Again, I think there's a lot that goes into performances when you don't play very well, and usually there's a lot of little things that you can do better. So, we're hard at work and making sure that we try to eliminate some of those things and do better the things we didn't do well enough.”

Josh quickly walked it back, but that is why coaches don't like their assistants talking to the media. Now let me be frank, many coaches, even when they don't feel they are to blame, take the heat. That was fine with Lombardi's first two sentences. But the third was telling: "Our level of urgency as a staff to them wasn't where it should have been."

The third sentence to me was Lombardi speaking from his heart.  I have been doing this for a long time, and no one could convince me it wasn't.

Mr. Carpenter. Last week in your question-and-answer article, your explanation of Josh McDaniels as a person and coach was outstanding. I listen and watch you on TV, and radio and you are never afraid to go against the crowd. You changed my opinion of McDaniels. Now I ask, who else are people are not getting? You changed me on Derek Carr as well, so I’d like to know who others are missing on. --Roger Gent

Thank you, and a great question. I think Dave Ziegler is a guy who people are not seeing. I like him personally, a lot, as I do Josh and Derek. He is smart and devoted to his job and family, but the guy is just a football savant. He knows the game of football, but like Josh now, and Derek he isn’t arrogant. It is not arrogant to be confident in what you know, and Ziegler is smart.

Hey Hondo, I love your weekly questions articles. I also love your videos from the locker room. You seem to have an excellent rapport with the guys. Bilal Nichols strikes me as a guy who doesn’t really care. Is that true? Keep up the awesome work, you are by far my favorite Raiders beat guy. --G. Perez

I think you are missing Bilal by a mile. He is a very cerebral guy, but he loves the game. Personally, I like him a lot, and I feel the same as a player.

Hondo, your stories from the locker room are epic. I love how you interview the stars and the guys who are role players. My son and I watch them all every week. On a side note, thanks for always interviewing a lot of the offensive linemen. My son, because of your interviews, wants an Alex Bars and a Thayer Munford jersey for Christmas. --Pete L.

Thank you Pete for watching. I love taking people where they can’t go, and I get to. Alex and Thayer are super great people, and they are an excellent choice for your son to admire, on and off the field.

Hondo, I loved listening to you and Kolton Miller talk ball. Your locker room interviews are terrific.  Love the chemistry with the team, and love your bold takes. I know you keep telling us that the OL is not as bad as we think, I trust you. --C. Garcia

Thank you, I enjoy talking with people inside, and getting to know guys as people.  While I do not think it is the best OL to ever play, I also do not think it is as horrible as some think.  This team was the third-ranked offense in the NFL heading into last weekend.  They don't become great, or a complete failure over one game.

Hondo -- You're awesome. Love your positivity and reporting. With his long-time friend, Dave Ziegler firmly in place as the GM, I don't see Josh McDaniels being let go mid-season. I was hoping Josh would be exactly who the Raiders needed, but I have serious doubts 7 games in. How long of a leash do you think Josh and Dave have to turn this around?  --Blessings, Mike

Great question. Mark Davis isn't happy with the performance of his team, but neither is anyone else in the organization. With that said, I would be stunned if they are not back next season, stunned, unless we see repeats of last week.

Hondo, I recently moved to Las Vegas from Northern Ohio. Loved you when you covered the Big Ten. I became a Raiders fan once you moved out there and I keep following you. I recently found Vic Tafur.  What do you think of Vic? --Colin P. from Toledo

First, I am glad you were a follower before, and I am thankful that you like the same coverage I am offering now. Vic is a great person, journalist, father, and husband. I highly recommend him.

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The Raiders travel to Florida to take on the Jacksonville Jaguars next Sunday. That game kicks off at 1 p.m. EDT (10 a.m. PDT) and can be seen on CBS.

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