While Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce didn’t name anyone specifically when criticizing his team following their loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, cornerback Jack Jones is standing his ground.
Pierce criticized his players for making “business decisions” on the field in their 36-22 loss to the Panthers, saying he vowed to follow suit with his own “business decisions.” He doubled down on that on Monday, criticizing the “entire defensive effort.”
Soon, clips began to surface on social media that pointed to Jones. There’s one specific play where Jones saw the ball go by instead of trying to make a tackle. A second play showed Jones narrowly missing a tackle.
That’s why Jones defended himself on social media on Tuesday.
“You guys couldn’t wait to say something bad about me,” he wrote. “Look at the other seven tackles I made instead of posting one tackle. I’m moving on to next week. I’m better than what I played and I know it and I’m going to show it.”
You guys couldn’t wait to say something bad about me 🤣🤣 look at the other 7 tackles I made instead of posting 1 tackle I’m moving on to next week I’m better than what I played I know and I’m going to show it..
— Jack Jones🏄🏽♂️ (@presidentjacc) September 24, 2024
He also stressed that any performance issues fans pointed out had nothing to do with his firing from the New England Patriots midway through last season.
And that’s not why Bill fired me.. lol
— Jack Jones🏄🏽♂️ (@presidentjacc) September 24, 2024
Pierce again didn’t get specific about what “business decisions” he wanted to make in the aftermath of their loss to the Panthers, which followed an upset win over the Ravens in Baltimore the week before. And the Raiders’ problems extend well beyond Jones — who had seven total tackles, third-most on the team in that game. But there’s no question that those two incidents, especially taken out of context, weren’t Jones’ finest moments.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew also struggled, going just 18 of 28 for 214 yards with a touchdown and an interception against the Panthers. Minshew was also replaced by backup Aiden O’Connell in the fourth quarter after throwing his interception. O’Connell, who was the team’s starting quarterback last year, then led the Raiders on a long touchdown drive. Pierce declined to confirm whether Minshew was still the team’s starting quarterback after that game, but Minshew was reportedly set to start next week against the Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders have a number of issues they need to address as a whole before Sunday’s game at Allegiant Stadium. Some of it, Jones admitted, is on him. But blaming him entirely isn’t going to solve the problems.
“We knew in a game like this, when you’re coming off a high against the Ravens and you’re going up against a team that everyone expected you to beat, there was a chance that things could go wrong… Looking back, I think for all of us, myself and the coaching staff, we just have to do better,” Pierce said Monday.
