Although Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce didn’t title anyone particularly when he criticized his workforce after their loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, cornerback Jack Jones is standing his floor.
Pierce slammed his gamers for making “enterprise selections” on the sector of their 36-22 loss to the Panthers, and stated he promised to comply with go well with with “enterprise selections” of his personal. He doubled down on that on Monday, too, and he criticized the “whole defensive effort.”
Fairly rapidly, clips surfaced on social media that pointed the finger at Jones. There may be one play particularly the place Jones was seen watching the ball go by him as a substitute of making an attempt to make a deal with. A second play confirmed Jones simply utterly lacking a deal with.
So on Tuesday, Jones took to social media to defend himself.
“Y’all couldn’t wait to say some dangerous ‘bout me,” he wrote. “Watch the opposite seven tackles I made as a substitute of posting one deal with. I’m on to subsequent week. I’m higher than what I performed and I do know that and Ima present that.”
Yall couldn’t wait to say some dangerous bout me 🤣🤣 watch the opposite 7 tackles I made as a substitute of posting 1 deal with. I’m on to subsequent week. I’m higher than what I performed I do know that and ima present that..
— Jack Jones🏄🏽♂️ (@presidentjacc) September 24, 2024
He additionally insisted that any effort points followers could also be pointing to had nothing to do together with his launch from the New England Patriots in the midst of final season.
And that’s not why invoice minimize me.. lol
— Jack Jones🏄🏽♂️ (@presidentjacc) September 24, 2024
Once more, Pierce didn’t get particular in regards to the “enterprise selections” that he wished to make after their loss to the Panthers, which got here on the heels of an upset win over the Ravens in Baltimore the week earlier than. And the Raiders’ points go nicely past Jones — who had seven whole tackles, which was the third-highest on the workforce from that sport. However there is no doubt that these two situations, particularly taken out of context, weren’t Jones’ finest moments.
Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew additionally struggled. He went simply 18-of-28 for 214 yards with a landing and an interception towards the Panthers. Minshew was changed by backup Aiden O’Connell within the fourth quarter, too, after throwing his interception. O’Connell, who was the workforce’s starter final 12 months, then led the Raiders on a protracted landing drive. Pierce declined to verify that Minshew was nonetheless the workforce’s beginning quarterback after that sport, however Minshew is reportedly set to start out subsequent week towards the Cleveland Browns.
The Raiders have some points to repair as an entire earlier than Sunday’s sport at Allegiant Stadium. A few of that, Jones admitted, is on him. However blaming him solely is not going to repair the issues.
“We ID’d there could possibly be a slip-up in a sport like this the place you have got a excessive of the highs towards the Ravens and also you come out towards a workforce everyone’s anticipating you to beat … Simply kinda trying again, I believe all of us, myself, the workers … It is simply obtained to be higher,” Pierce stated Monday.