Steelers Dominate Raiders On Defense, Causing Josh McDaniels To Have 0 Confidence In His Own Team

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense made headlines for carrying the team in their Week 2 game against the Cleveland Browns, and other teams have clearly seen it. Everyone was talking about how good that particular unit is, and you would expect that the Las Vegas Raiders would see and hear all of it, considering they had to face the Steelers next. While there's always the physical aspect of the game, the Steelers seemingly won the mental game, and the mental game might have cost the Raiders at the very end of the game. 

The Steelers came out swinging again. After a long first-quarter touchdown drive by the Raiders, the defense stepped up and shut them out for half of the game, until they started playing prevent defense in the fourth quarter. Even then, that drive was saved by a questionable roughing the passer call. After the Raiders scored eight points, they got the ball back quickly with a chance to tie the game.

A snap infraction penalty backed the Raiders up from 4th and 1 to 4th and 6. Despite being down by eight with just over three minutes left, Josh McDaniels opted to kick a field goal for some weird reason. His bad decision was saved by a more-than-questionable launching penalty on DeMarvin Leal. The Raiders immediately got back into a fourth down. This time, it was 4th and 4 while being seconds away from the two-minute warning. 

In a move that baffled everyone, McDaniels again opted to kick a field goal, despite already being down by one score. Daniel Carlson easily made it, but they didn't get the ball back until there is 12 seconds left on the clock, which led to the third interception of the game. As expected, McDaniels was asked about this blunder in the post-game press conference, and his response did not help in the slightest. 

McDaniels opened up his presser while trying to deflect the question by stating the obvious. 

"You have two choices there. You try to make it a five-point game where you have the opportunity to win it with a touchdown if you get the ball back, or go for it there, and then if you happen to convert it, you have to make the two-point conversion. Those are the decisions you have to make."

Yes coach, we know there are only two decisions. We know that you have to make them as the head coach. Now please explain to us why you did what you did. 

McDaniels further explained his logic behind the questionable decision.

"You're gonna need another possession anyway. It's not a lack of confidence. We went for it multiple times."

Those last statements completely contradict each other. If he truly did not lack confidence, he would have gone for it in the first place and would not worry about needing another possession. In fact, the Raiders failed a 4th and 5 earlier in the game, on a play where Levi Wallace made a great play to break the pass up. The Steelers racking up four sacks and two interceptions probably also had something to do with that decision. Either way, McDaniels lacked the confidence to be aggressive and at least try to tie the game up to end it, leading to a deep ball for the Steelers third interception of the game. 

Steelers Defense Dominates Once Again

The Steelers rattled Jimmy Garoppolo all game long, and he struggled until the Steelers went into prevent defense. Davante Adams was the only receiver that made much of an impact, although he did have an elite game while torturing Wallace and Patrick Peterson in coverage. If there was anything to have confidence in, it would have been Adams making a play in single coverage. Instead, McDaniels told the world that he has no faith in his offense or in his $72.75 million quarterback.

What do you think about the Steelers' defensive performance against the Raiders, as well as Josh McDaniels' comments on his baffling decision at the end of the game? Let us know in the comments.

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