LAS VEGAS – The Las Vegas Riders eliminated defensive coordinator Paul Gundar on Sunday night, ending the Raiders’ playoff hopes with a 44-27 defeat to the Indianapolis Golds, reducing their record to 7-6.
It marked Las Vegas’ third defeat in four games.
The team announced the move after Gunder’s defense gave up 456 yards to the Golds, including a 212-yard rush. Las Vegas has appointed first-year defensive line coach Rod Marinelli as interim defensive coordinator to end the season.
Raiders coach John Crouton has not been available since Gunder was relieved of his duties, but he was unhappy following his loss to Indianapolis on Sunday.
“You get to the point where you guess for the second time everything you attack every time,” Cruden said, referring to this season’s Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs Oct. 11. “It’s hard right now, but you have to be confident that your players are going to put it together like they did in Kansas City.
“We struggled in the first half at Arrowhead and we found a way to make some plays in the second half. But when you turn it into a possession game, you have to trust your defense. You have to be a championship team and a playoff team, you have to be a good football team at all stages. Should be. “
The Raiders ’defense has been excellent this season.
Against the aging, immovable quarterback in the Philip Rivers of the Golds, the Raiders can only get a quarterback victory, with defensive end Orton Key, not forced into a turnover or a job.
According to the Associated Press, this is the fifth time under Gunther, who came to the Raiders with Cruden in 2018, that the team had zero-sack, zero-takeaway game, which is second only to the start of the 2018 season. The Raiders have had a total of five games like this in the previous seven seasons.
In three seasons as a defensive coordinator with Gunder, the Raiders finished 29th in points per game (28.4), 31 yards (6.04) per game (98.9), last in sacks (60) and 30th in the NFL. On the go (47).
The Raiders entered 22nd-ranked defense on Sunday, finishing 24th against the pass and 19th against the run, but 30th in the sacks with 15.
Although this includes top players in the free company such as Corey Littleton and Nick Quiatkowski, defensive player Malik Collins, defensive ending Carl Nachib, defenseman Jeff Heath and cornerbacks Damon Arnett and Amic Robertson and linebacker Tanner Muse.
Riders linebacker Reykjav மெk McMillan and bass-runners Vic Beasley, Thackeray McKinley, Chris Smith and David Irving were also included. No one made a difference.
Injuries have reduced defense this season.
“I can’t tell you a game we played this year where someone didn’t have to go and play more than they thought [were going to have to] Before the game, “Gunther said Thursday.” So I said to the guys, ‘Everyone they have to prepare like a starter’. You will almost like it [know] This will not happen any longer than this player is playing this week, say in the first quarter of the game, where you have to move the chess pieces a little bit and change your plan. So, this is the most challenging thing, the game changes we have to make. Especially the last few weeks. “
When asked after Sunday’s loss how difficult it is to make defensive mistakes, the Raiders quarterback Derek Car stumbled.
“My job is to take care of football and move it,” Carr said. “A team on the field is scoring touchdowns. I didn’t do it better today. That’s it.”