Raiders mailbag: Fans angry, frustrated by team’s poor play

The Raiders’ tailspin has their fans up in arms, and rightfully so. Their 2-6 start is not what anyone had in mind, and it’s led to anger, frustration and lots of questions.

Here is a sampling of what showed up in this week’s mailbag:

Dominic (@Krohnage): If the Raiders lose every remaining game of the season, then surely Josh McDaniels gets fired, right?

VINCENT BONSIGNORE: You bring up an extreme hypothetical scenario, but even if such a dismal situation occurs, the Raiders are expected to stay the course with their first-year coach and general manager. Both will be given the opportunity to put their stamp on this team for the long haul, which is part of the whole reason they were brought in in the first place.

They were brought in to build a championship-caliber roster and set a new cultural foundation, none of which happens overnight. No doubt there is disappointment with the record, but also an understanding that part of the team’s struggles are the result of bad decision-making by the past regime. The new decision-makers will be given the opportunity to correct that.

Junjon (@golfool63): Do you think Derek Carr will ask to be traded in 2023? He looks like he is done with this team.

VB: Derek Carr negotiated a no-trade clause into his contract, so it would be a surprise if he did a complete flip and asked to be traded.

Chad Mixon (@ChadMixon): Is there a loss of confidence from the players in the current team leadership?

VB: Not getting that sense. Is there accountability by players in terms of expecting the coaching staff to do their jobs at a high level? Absolutely. But there is also belief in what the plan is, even with the results being disappointing.

DrD (@DrDraiders): Do the assistant coaches have the same job assurances that Josh McDaniels reportedly has? Is it possible that some of them are let go in the season, or are they safe until the offseason as well?

VB: Change is always possible, but it would be a surprise if there were any that changes to the coaching staff during the season.

A Araya (@artaraya): What’s happened to Hunter Renfrow? Slot receivers have historically done well in Josh McDaniel’s offense. I expected him to go off this year, but he seems to be having his lowest production as a Raider.

VB: In talking to Renfrow, it just feels like he is going through a process of figuring out his place in this offense, but he also needs to start to put his spin on things, even if that means improvising a bit on his pass routes.

It’s a similar process he went through in his rookie season in Jon Gruden’s offense, where he found himself trying to do everything exactly the way the coaches wanted, but ultimately understood he also needs to be himself and put his own spin on things.

Alan in Vegas (@alaninvegas): Any chance Jarrett Stidham gets “a good look” this season?

VB: The Raiders are a ways away from that happening.

Rob Ostfeld, MD, MSc (@DrOstfeld): Why are the Raiders so consistently bad?

VB: Poor drafting and free agency decisions over the last decade. Way too many starts and stops with coaching regimes.

Jorge (Pucks@jorgepucks): In your opinion, how much of Derek Carr “throwing the ball where the coach wants it to go” is factoring into his regression this year? He does look out of sync (lots of other reasons factor into this), but it seems like he is more indecisive than ever and the confidence isn’t there.

VB: There has to be some accounting for the new system and how it plays into Derek Carr’s play. But more than that, the offensive line, relative to pass protection, has simply not done a good job. There are bad throws that Carr has made that have happened because he is rushed and under pressure. Carr, like many good quarterbacks, needs good pass protection to be at his best.

Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on Twitter.