Why DA was hired

[Tenebrous]

So, for general background context, RM fired Jackson, who went 8-8 with major injuries to key players and who helped breathe new life into an offense that was seemingly on life support before he arrived in Oakland. To replace him, RM chose a first year head coach who was just a first year DC under a defensive-minded coach and kept him despite going 4-12 and fielding a less than competitive team no less. This maks no sense at all.

However, after watching RM simply walk away from so many players like Shaunnessey (sp?), Meyers, DHB, Huff, etc. without even asking/looking for them to restructure, it seems clear that RM does not want to risk winning with players he did not select. This, of course, is pure palpable hubris - more so than, the much (unfairly) maligned, Jackson ever displayed.

Now the question is, what kind of coach would stay during this colossal testament to RM's pride? Not a seasoned coach, not a rising coach, certainly not a coach who is really concerned about winning - more likely a young coach who was offered a position he really did not earn - DA. Thus, DA is still in Oakland while he blunders along with coaches like Knapp.

For astute Raider fans this is extremely painful -- because it really did not have to be this way. Indeed the Raiders were knocking on the door to the playoffs even with incredible injuries to key players and getting a new starting QB literally off the couch mid-season -- that was just one season. Imagine Jackson and the Raiders building off that one season. Maybe, with the Raiders competing, contracts could have been easier to renegotiate. Moreover, it could have arguably been easier to draw quality free agents for maybe a little less. Maybe it would not have worked out this way, but unfortunately Jackson and the team were not given more than that one measly injury plagued season to find out -- RM made sure of it.