Raiders owner Mark Davis went public with his frustrations about the state of the team last month, but he made sure that coach Dennis Allen got a full airing of his concerns on the flight home from last week’s loss to Cincinnati.
Monte Poole of the Bay Area News Group reports that Davis had his “first conversation of note” with Allen on the flight. The conversation is described as “passionate” and “spirited” but Davis says it wasn’t heated or angry. He just wanted to make sure that he got his point across as plainly as possible.
“I wouldn’t say it was heated; the most heated I got was when we first got on the plane and I told him it’s not good enough,’' Davis said. “And that’s what I said. I told him not long after we boarded: ‘It’s not good enough.’ I admit I was pissed off.”
Davis said he left the conversation impressed by Allen’s intensity, a trait he admits he wasn’t sure the coach possessed. He wants to see the same thing from the rest of the team over the final weeks of the season.
“Last year at this time we were 7-4 and (ahead) in the division. Then we lost four out of our last five. And that’s why I didn’t fight for (former head coach) Hue Jackson to keep his job,” Davis said. “Well, we have five games to go. Who on this team wants me to fight for them to keep their job? Who among the players and coaches really wants to be here? Who wants me to fight to keep them here?”
Davis’ father was notorious in his later years for making rash decisions without much outside counsel. Davis says he doesn’t want to be like that, but he’s making it pretty clear that change will still come to Oakland if the Raiders can’t convince him things are moving in the right direction.