LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders' Monday Night Football matchup against the Detriot Lions, sports reporter Tina Nguyen caught up with Jay Schroeder to discuss how the Raiders can bounce back against the Lions.
TINA NGUYEN: Well Jay, when you look at this Raiders team, let's start with things offensively. This rushing attack has been nonexistent. So what do the Raiders need to do to kind of get things going in there first half?
JAY SCHROEDER: Well, number one, they need to get Josh the ball. right? I mean, that's the bottom line. He's been one of the best running backs. You've got to get it going. Right now, they just don't really have an identity offensively. They still haven't found what they want to be. They have certain sparks at different times during the games but they haven't really put it together. So they'll get better and better. They've got a Monday night game so everybody's going to be watching. It's always fun to play on Monday night.
NGUYEN: Davante Adams has been very coy that he does want more targets in this offense. But what does his coaching staff need to do to get him more targets, especially when he is shown different defenses?
SCHROEDER: Yeah. Well, yes. He does need to get the ball more. One of the best in the league right now. Okay. There's no question but that doesn't mean you don't call plays for him. He does get double-covered a lot. Right? These other guys have got to step up. My estimation is other guys have got to make some catches so that they can't always double. Right? Everybody else has got to do their part and that's what I'm saying. They haven't been consistent enough yet in that because even last year, Devante got, okay, I was watching. I've been at the games and all that. He could still beat double coverage but if there's nobody else making plays underneath them, it's pretty easy to take him out of the game. So they'll get there. They'll figure it out.
NGUYEN: You, of all people, know that playing the quarterback position is not an easy job. Just so far, how do you think this quarterback room is panning out?
SCHROEDER: Well, it's not what they planned. Right? We all, everybody, wanted Jimmy to come in and do what Jimmy does, win football games, but he's been banged up. Brian's tried to step up. Last week, I don't know really what happened. They just couldn't get anything going. Right? But I think they'll get better. I think Jimmy coming back, getting those things, they'll figure it out. They've got to make a run and they get to play on Monday night. So great. Time to shine and get it together.
NGUYEN: What do the Raiders need to do to maybe find more of an offensive identity and that spark?
SCHROEDER: Yeah. Well, I think it's going to start with somebody making a big play here. That's where it always starts. That gets everybody excited. Josh making a big run or a screen or a big catch by Davonte. Something like that. You need somebody to step up, make that big play. Football is a game of emotion. You got to have emotion. You got to play with emotion. They're big kids. Okay? I know they're grown men but they're big kids and they thrive off of that. So I'm looking for somebody to come in, make a big play, and then, the offense, everybody will be like hey, let's go. Let's get it after it.
NGUYEN: Want to walk down memory lane with you for a bit. 1988 was your first Monday Night Football game against the Denver Broncos. You guys were down 24 at the half but you came back to win in overtime, 32 to 27. What makes these Monday night games, prime time, so special?
SCHROEDER: Well, everybody's watching. So you know that all your peers are watching the game. Right? And it's the only time, really, all year that you get that opportunity to shine where you know everybody else is watching. So that's what makes it special because you get to make a name for yourself and everything else. Yeah. That Monday night game, I had been with the Raiders a total of eight days, from my trade, and started the game and we were awful and I was awful at the beginning and we came in with with Coach Shanahan and made some adjustments and, lo and behold, we just played hard. And next thing you know, we're going to overtime and we win in overtime.
NGUYEN: It is tough to win in this league. Talk about maybe the kind of pressure that Josh McDaniels is under right now.
SCHROEDER: Well, it's a mess. There's no question. It's a win league. Right? I mean, back when I played, they had a little more leeway but now, it's a rapid turnover. I'm sure he's feeling the pressure but Josh is a great offensive mind. That's why he got the job and he's just got to relax, get it done again. He can only do so much. The guys on the field have to make the playoffs. That's what it comes down to. Coaches can do a lot but players have to go out and make plays. I'm looking at it. Everybody's just got to play better and stop stressing and you've got to be able to play loose and free in this game. That'd be really good.
NGUYEN: Want to touch on things on the defensive side of the ball. It's year two under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. We've seen the Raiders progress since last season. They had a shutout second half against the Chargers, a couple of takeaways as well from the Packers. The game against the Bears, they regressed a little bit. But just what are you seeing on that side of the ball from them?
SCHROEDER: Well, they are getting better and better. Now, in today's football, with the way the the rules are, you've got to have a good pass rush or you got to be really good in the back end. If you're so-so on both of those, people are going to exploit you. Right? Other than Maxx Crosby, we really haven't had a full pass rush. Right? Okay. So we've got to get other guys to get up there, get that pressure because that makes the guys on the back end, they don't have to cover for three and a half, four seconds. That's harder with today's rules. Playing cornerback is the toughest thing out here. Okay? Running around with these guys. So we got to get a little more pressure up there, get a little more aggressive up front.
NGUYEN: Lastly, the Raiders need to do what to get a win against the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football?
SCHROEDER: It's going to sound really weird. They need to have fun. They really do. Everybody is talking about this, that there's pressure and all that. You got to play loose, fast, so you got to have fun playing the game. I think if they just relax, they have some fun, I think good things will happen.
