This NFL season, the Las Vegas Raiders made moves to help the franchise reach the playoffs yet again.
However, those moves now put pressure on new head coach Josh McDaniels.
The Raiders getting Davante Adams, while still keeping Hunter Renfrow, means the team has a one-two punch at wide receiver.
But they also have Derek Carr and Josh Jacobs on offense, two other important pieces for the team this season.
With these four players, the Raiders offense is set for a great season.
This is one reason McDaniels is facing a lifetime of expectations this season.
Raiders Are Giving McDaniels A Playoff-Ready Team
The Raiders made the playoffs last season with Carr, Renfrow, and Jacobs on offense.
With the addition of Adams to an offense that had nearly 5,000 passing yards last season, they are instant favorites to reach the playoffs again.
21. Derek Carr threw for a career high 4,804 passing yards. Now he’s reunited with former college teammate Davante Adams in Las Vegas. Adams and Carr connected for a total of 133 receptions during the 2012 to 2013 seasons at Fresno State.
— Moody (@EricNMoody) June 18, 2022
However, it’s up to McDaniels to drive this playoff-ready team to the destination that ownership wants them to be.
He’s got the best team on offense, with Carr and Adams pairing up once again after nearly a decade.
Their performance at Fresno State is what made them high value players coming into the NFL.
Having them back on the same team gives McDaniels a great offensive pairing.
But it’s also what’s putting high expectations on him for this season.
People have seen what both players did at Fresno State, and what Adams did in Green Bay.
However, it’s up to the Raiders new coach to ensure that old magic between the two transpires on the field this season.
Coming From New England Also Puts Pressure On McDaniels
When you come from the Bill Belichick coaching tree, there’s a lot of pressure instantly applied when taking over a head coaching job.
However, it’s never that easy to win instantly when with a new team.
Sean McVay’s coaching tree yielded a Super Bowl (Zac Taylor) before Bill Belichick’s did.
— Paul Hembekides (@PaulHembo) January 31, 2022
But expectations are always high with Belichick coaches because of all the Super Bowls he’s won in New England.
So teams expect that same success with their team when getting any coach that is part of his coaching tree.
Very few coaches from the time of Belichick’s reign in New England have found success.
The one coach to find the most success after leaving him is Brian Flores.
So McDaniels has a lot to live up to as an offensive coordinator that helped lead Tom Brady and the Patriots to many Super Bowl championships.
Can He Finally Prove Himself As A Good Coach In Las Vegas?
McDaniels first run as a head coach with the Denver Broncos didn’t fare well for him.
However, he’s got an excellent quarterback and even better offensive weapons in Vegas than he had in Denver.
But it comes down to putting forward a clean offensive plan for each game.
If he can bring the success from New England here, and without the negatives that have followed him his career, he can prove himself as a better coach now.
While his past misdeeds haunt him, he’s got the best team to prove him and carry a heavy weight on his shoulders for 2022.
