Josh McDaniels Says Denver Is Just A Division Game, Nothing More
Sep 29, 2022, 10:08 AM | Updated: 10:09 am
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - SEPTEMBER 25: Head coach Josh McDaniels of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on from the sidelines in the third quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
(Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
As coach of the Las Vegas Raiders, Josh McDaniels has faced off against one former team already this year, the New England Patriots in the preseason.
This week though, he faces off against the team that gave him his first shot at coaching, the Denver Broncos. In 2009, McDaniels became the youngest coach in Broncos franchise history, having been hired at the ripe old age of 32. He replaced legendary coach Mike Shanahan.
Things started positively for his tenure, beginning the 2009 season 6-0. Then everything went downhill, winning only two more games the rest of the season and missing the playoffs. The next season, Denver fired McDaniels after a 3-9 record.
After a brief stop in St. Louis with the Rams, McDaniels returned to New England, where he would stay with the team until being hired by the Las Vegas Raiders in 2022.
When asked if this Week 4 matchup has any special meaning, McDaniels brushed off the question.
“Other than it’s a division game, obviously,” McDaniels said. “We want to try to get ourselves going here at home. First division home game, we’re excited about that. But no, I’ve said this many times, they gave me a great opportunity at a young age and I’m thankful for that and learned a lot of lessons from that.”
🔴🎥 Live: Head Coach Josh McDaniels addresses the media from the Intermountain Healthcare Performance Center. https://t.co/IEz6h95X9C
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 28, 2022
How The AFC West Will Be Won
Going into the 2022 season, NFL analysts and experts pegged the AFC West as one of the most competitive divisions in the league. However, the injuries and slow starts have prevented any team from looking like the dominant favorite.
When asked about his thoughts on the division, McDaniels said it’s still September.
“Our focus is on trying to fix the things that we can fix and make ourselves better,” McDaniels said. “But looking around and all that stuff, it just distracts you from what you need to do this week, and we’ve got an important game, obviously. We want to try to get ourselves rolling in the division, and that’s what we’re going to focus on.”
