Antonio Pierce setting unrealistic expectations for Raiders already

The 2023 season was a disappointing one for the Las Vegas Raiders as they finished with an 8-9 record and missed the playoffs. While they didn't get to where they wanted to go, that doesn't mean that the season was a complete failure. Some silver linings helped salvage the campaign, none bigger than the emergence of Antonio Pierce.

The Raiders chose Pierce as their interim head coach after firing Josh McDaniels and saw great results. The team went 5-4 in games that Pierce coached including a signature win on Christmas Day in Kansas City against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs.

As great as that win was, it appears to have given him what can be perceived as unrealistic expectations for the 2024 season for his team.

Antonio Pierce giving the Chiefs prime bulletin board material

A motivated Antonio Pierce is looking to "run it back" against the Chiefs, saying on Maxx Crosby's podcast, "We've already given the recipe of how to do it."

Oh boy.

Beating Mahomes once has gotten to his head. What Pierce is ignoring is the fact that Mahomes is 10-2 against the Raiders in his career, and is unbeaten at Allegiant Stadium. That includes his victory at the Super Bowl. Mahomes celebrated his third Super Bowl win at the Raiders' stadium while Pierce and the Raiders were sitting on their couches.

It's pretty clear that the regular season Chiefs and the playoff Chiefs were two different teams. The Chiefs took their game to a whole other level when their season was on the line. Perhaps Patrick Mahomes and Co. will look to do the same when they're playing against the team they "gave the recipe to" this past season.

At the end of the day, there are levels to this game. The Raiders are celebrating a regular season win as if they won the Super Bowl. The Chiefs proved that the loss on Christmas Day meant nothing to them as they went undefeated the rest of the way, winning the Super Bowl.

Even if the Raiders find a way to beat Kansas City once in the 2024 season, will they beat them when it really matters? Will they be the rare team to beat Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs? All Pierce gloating about that win does is make Kansas City want to knock them off when they see each other in the regular season. Expecting his team to dethrone the champs might be setting expectations that are far too high for a team that still finished under .500 last season.