Antonio Pierce blasts Raiders for 'business decisions' made in loss - ESPN

LAS VEGAS — Antonio Pierce angrily rocked back and forth for more than five minutes at the postgame podium, the Las Vegas Raiders coach searching for answers in the wake of his team's stunning 36-22 loss to the Carolina Panthers.

Pierce was sure of one thing: his team did not show up for its home opener — and he went in on some unnamed players.

«As the game went on,» Pierce said, «I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions. And we'll make business decisions going forward as well.

»We got our ass whupped...I would have booed us, too."

Given what was on the table — a festive home opener after last week's emotional comeback win at the Baltimore Ravens, the heretofore winless Panthers having benched their former No. 1 overall draft pick Bryce Young in favor of 14th-year veteran quarterback Andy Dalton, the Raiders offense having seemingly caught up with its opportunistic defense — this loss, to longtime observers, was comparable to several embarrassing defeats in recent memory.

From losing to the Indianapolis Colts and high school coach Jeff Saturday in 2022 in his first game — the fallout of which led to then-Raiders QB Derek Carr crying at the podium — to falling to Baker Mayfield two days after he joined the Los Angeles Rams later that same season, to last season's loss at the Chicago Bears, who started undrafted rookie Tyson Bagent at quarterback.

The difference? These Raiders were thoroughly dominated by Dalton and the Panthers.

«We've got a lot of people that have to look in the mirror,» said Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby, who was severely hampered by a high-ankle sprain to his left ankle, suffered on the second-to-last play of the Raiders' win at Baltimore, and finished with just