Raiders report: Josh McDaniels sees no signs of quit in team

If the Raiders’ house is on fire, nobody is sounding the alarms.

Despite three starters being placed on injured reserve this week, a key contributor retiring after his best game of the season and one of the longest-tenured defensive players being released in the midst of a 2-6 start, coach Josh McDaniels was pleased with his team’s preparation for Sunday’s game against the Colts at Allegiant Stadium.

“It’s part of the game, and I think those guys know it,” McDaniels said Friday. “The energy we’ve had at practice this week has been special, and that’s a tribute to the guys. We know where we’re at. We know what the situation is. We didn’t want to be in this situation, but it is what it is. We’re the ones that put us here, so we’re the ones that are going to dig us out, too.”

There is still a belief the Raiders could turn the season around. Wide receiver Mack Hollins pointed out the Dolphins team he played for last season started 1-7 before finishing 9-8 and almost making the playoffs.

“I was in a similar spot last year, so I know it’s possible,” he said. “But the biggest thing is to not start pulling in all types of directions. When that happens, you end up going nowhere. As long as we’re all pulling in the right direction, we’ll be able to make something out of the season.”

At some point, however, consideration will have to be given to the future. Even if the Raiders aren’t at a point of playing strictly for draft position, there should be opportunities for younger players to get experience.

“Everybody’s trying to win this week, and I think our team has tried to do that every week,” McDaniels said. “That doesn’t change the fact that you still want to have a long-term view of how do we make this the best we can make it as we go forward. That’s part of our job.”

Flipped

Major changes could be coming to a key part of the Raiders’ strategy that hasn’t been working.

The Raiders have won one pregame coin toss in their eight games.

“We’re due,” punter AJ Cole said. “It’s time to go on a run.”

Cole and Hollins are the special teams captains, but Hollins deflected responsibility.

“I’m not the one who talks,” he said. “There’s a lot of talk around the locker room about us going out there, but we’re going to get it right.”

One theory posited by Hollins and Cole is that all the commemorative coins throw off the balance and integrity of the operation. Cole also said some of the tosses aren’t straight up, and some rotate either too fast or too slow. One even hit off a helmet and still counted, he said.

Their only coin-toss win was at a home game against the Broncos. Visiting captains get to call the toss, so Cole is 0-5 on the road.

“They’ve been having a secret meeting to pull a coup to get me off the call, but we’ll see how that goes,” Cole said. “I might just let Mack start choosing. It’s a transition of power.”

Injury report

Linebacker Denzel Perryman is questionable with hip and rib injuries after getting in limited practice sessions Thursday and Friday.

Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow, who went on injured reserve Thursday, had been listed with hamstring and rib issues before an oblique problem was cited in reports. McDaniels clarified the injury.

“It’s his side,” he said. “I’m not a doctor necessarily, but it’s somewhere in there. Not sure that there’s one medical thing that I could sit here and say that it’s just this.”

Reinforcements

With tight end Darren Waller also going on injured reserve Thursday, the Raiders made official the signing of tight end Jacob Hollister off the Vikings’ practice squad.

Hollister, who will wear No. 88, is expected to back up Foster Moreau and play on special teams.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on Twitter.