Well, I think when evaluating Allen’s performance this year some are glossing over the impact that Injuries and Refs had and are dumping a little too much on his shoulders…especially anything to do with the Raiders.

Some people may be unaware of the sorry state of the Raider franchise and their MO from about 94 on. A really good coach like Gruden who had a good QB in Gannon was able to have short term success. But they ran him out of town because of Al Davis’ ego.

I was living 12 miles from Oakland during the Allen tenure (as well as years before and after) so I heard their news daily and watched their games each week (when not blacked out) and tell you he was not the reason the team struggled. Here were the Raider win totals going backwards from his first 4-12 season:
8
8
5
5
4
2
4
5
4

It was a dysfunctional franchise. Crazy Al Davis was running things his way and that included player/coaching decisions. They had drafted Jamarcus Russell. They had no quality QB in years before he took over. Allen drafted Carr, the only decent player at the position since Rich Gannon. One year after drafting Carr he’s fired and Oakland has a 12 win season the year after that with the QB Allen wanted leading the team. But guess what…they were back to a 6 win season the next year and a 4 win season again the year after that. Point is hardly anyone was going to have success at Oakland during that time.

A lot of users here seem to remember Payton having last year’s Saints team playing much more competitively than this year’s team. They weren’t. In games not started by Winston last year the Saints were 4-6. They got blown out 40 to 29 by Philadelphia and 31 to 6 by Buffalo. It could be a part of the reason Payton cut bait and “retired”…he knew it was going to be tough sledding.

And I’ll say this again for the dozenth time, I don’t point these things out in support of Allen as being the coach next year. I say them because they are facts that should be considered.

I think different coaching decisions may have added 2 to 3 more wins for the team. I also think that fair refereeing would’ve added those same three wins just like players not fumbling or making catches (or Ingram not blowing out a knee one yard short of a first) would have added three wins to the team. We’d then be looking at a 7-6 team very similar as we were to last year about this time.

“I have confidence in our offense and what we’re doing. We just have to be more consistent in what we’re doing.”

- Dennis Allen after the loss against the Bucs.

You want him not to have confidence? They hold onto the ball or make a catch or not get screwed they win the game.

I have confidence. That's my job as a Fan. Head Coach's job is to COACH HIS TEAM to a WIN.

We've been over this before. I blame players for their mistakes, you blame coaching for not telling them to not make mistakes.

If a Coach say's to his players, "just keep doing what you're doing" (making mistakes and losing games), I don't blame him, I replace him with a Coach that WINS GAMES.

And you think Allen said "Keep on Fumbling"? I doubt that

We've been over this before. I blame players for their mistakes, you blame coaching for not telling them to not make mistakes.

“I have confidence in our offense and what we’re doing. We just have to be more consistent in what we’re doing.”

- Dennis Allen after the loss against the Bucs.

Even when I was in over my head coaching youth basketball for two years, I don't think I ever uttered anything like "keep doing what you're doing". How does that motivate anyone, to deal in generalities? It's better to say nothing. DA isn't even good at coach-speak


I should give him the benefit of the doubt and hope he coaches better within the halls of the locker room, but then I see the temperament of our team on game day and it's clear he doesn't have the pulse of his players or assistants.