ALAMEDA, Calif. _ The Oakland Raiders' 2017 season was an abject disappointment, but no one wearing silver and black is trying to spin it as anything different.
The prevailing belief amongst Raiders coaches and players is that the team's problems are correctable and that the 2017 season wasn't indicative of this team's potential, but it's clear changes are coming after Sunday's season-finale against the Chargers.
One change: First-year and first-time offensive coordinator Todd Downing is unlikely to remain with the team in 2018.
Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio didn't give Downing a vote of confidence on Wednesday, saying that the offense has "underperformed" and gone in a "negative direction" this season. "(That's) not what we're looking for."
And while Del Rio said he believes that Downing is "bright" and that he "will be a good coach in this league," it doesn't take a cryptologist to decode the message: Downing is gone.
A growing contingent of Raiders fans would like to see Del Rio go out the door with him, too, but that's unlikely to happen.
In fact, the Raiders franchise might be best served _ in the long term _ by giving Del Rio another year.
