Raiders report: Antonio Pierce says it’s a fine line, but QBs ‘golden’

One of the hottest topics around the NFL this week is the protection of quarterbacks and the responsibility of defensive players to show restraint.

The debate was reignited after Texans linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair was suspended for three games for hitting Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence as he slid to the turf in Sunday’s game.

Raiders coach Antonio Pierce, a former NFL linebacker, said there is a fine line but one defensive players can’t cross.

“It’s hard, because guys are running 20 miles per hour, and then you ask them to make a last-second decision.” Pierce said Wednesday. “But if he’s doing anything where he’s indicating that he’s going to go out of bounds — again it’s a split-second decision, and a lot of these (quarterbacks) are not being intentional about what they’re doing. You’re playing a game at full speed and you’re fighting for every yard, every inch, so sometimes you get put in a bad position.

“But we are teaching our guys to be as smart as possible when the quarterback is near the sideline.”

Pierce said players always must be aware of the situation.

“You just know the quarterback is golden, right? Can’t touch him,” he said. “They start sliding, just got to let him go. That’s the rules, that’s way the game is now. Different than when I played. You go ahead and lay that guy out.”

Linebacker Divine Deablo said he wishes there was more clarity in the rules governing quarterbacks, especially when he watches defensive players get burned by sideline shenanigans by quarterbacks or sees would-be tacklers ease up near a slowing quarterback only to notice them speed up and steal a couple more yards.

“They have to figure it out because there are some quarterbacks who will take advantage of that stuff,” Deablo said.

“But at the end of the day, the NFL is going to protect the quarterback first and foremost, and the bottom line is we have to understand that. As a defensive player, it is very hard to be running full speed at a guy to make a tackle and all of a sudden just shut it down.”

Raiders in prime time

The Raiders will host the Falcons on Dec. 16 on “Monday Night Football” as scheduled.

Wednesday was the 12-day deadline for the NFL to flex the game to Sunday, and no action was taken.

The game will air on ESPN and locally on Fox. The Vikings will host the Bears on ABC on the same night.

Injury report

The Raiders released one of their shortest injury reports in weeks after Wednesday’s practice.

Cornerback Nate Hobbs (ankle) and running back Zamir White (quad) were the only players listed as nonparticipants.

Running back Alexander Mattison was limited with an ankle injury. Mattison and White have missed multiple games, clearing the way for the emergence of Sincere McCormick.

Pierce said McCormick has earned more work regardless of who else is available.

“He’s making the most of his opportunity, not getting tackled by the first defender,” Pierce said.

Transactions

The Raiders signed wide receiver Shedrick Jackson and linebacker Brandon Smith to fill their practice squad roster.

Jackson was undrafted out of Auburn and has spent much of the past two seasons in the Bengals’ organization.

Smith was a fourth-round pick out of Penn State in 2022 and has been with the Panthers, Eagles and Jets.

Contact Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AdamHillLVRJ on X.