GoJo and Golic get Mike’d Up: Antonio Pierce wins Raiders debut, CJ Stroud goes OFF

Week 9 is almost in the books, and Mike Golic Jr. and Mike Golic Sr. broke down Sunday’s action in the latest edition of Mike’d Up Monday.

Texans rookie QB CJ Stroud had himself a day against the Bucaneers.

All that offense FROM A ROOKIE is certainly worthy of a game ball. Not to mention Texans RB Dare Ogunbowale becoming the first position player to make a field goal since 2004. Needless to say, as GoJo points out, after a week off the good vibes Texans are BACK.

Senior points out that even with all of Stroud’s feats this was still a two-point game, so the field goal from Ogunbowale was HUGE. There were 31 points scored in the fourth quarter of this game, including a near-game-winning drive by Baker Mayfield and the Bucs with just 46 seconds remaining before the rookie Stroud led a 75-yard drive to win it. Senior says Stroud throws a good ball and never gets rattled, always showing a lot of poise. What a building block!

GoJo says what stands out most is that when he’s pressured or when things start to break down how easily he finds his bail-out option and gets the ball out. Plus, he can fit the ball into tight spots and has the arm strength to make all the throws. GoJo says poise is the word that gets beaten into the ground, but Stroud just has answers when problems show up at his door and that tends to be much harder for rookies entering the league.

And you know what else we got? Another scorigami!

Moving on to Vegas, the vibes were also good in the Raiders locker room following Antonio Pierce’s debut victory over the Giants, right down to the cigars.

GoJo notes that Pierce took advantage of one of the easiest ways to get his locker room on board with his administration. And it took just three magic words. See. You. Wednesday.

Senior says as a player those were the words you always wanted to hear, but he also loved a couple of things Pierce said. Senior highlighted Pierce pointing out that it’s a new chapter and that the biggest window is the front window. Yes, he says, they’re cliches, but they’re good ones for this team. Senior says he doesn’t know if he’s seen such vitriol toward a head coach (Josh McDaniels) since another former Bill Belichick disciple (Matt Patricia) was let go in Detroit. He says it just seems like it was horrible, horrible chemistry.

GoJo says it’s the product of trying to operate like Bill Belichick without the resume or cache. He points out you go from long meetings and strict procedures to almost the polar opposite, almost a form of good cop/bad cop. GoJo does wonder if the vibes are sustainable, as you have a young QB in Aidan O’Connell and this week could be more about the Giants situation, including the serious knee injury to Daniel Jones, than the Raiders. Senior thinks the Raiders have at least a shot against the Jets, but after that the Dolphins and Chiefs are on the docket so, yeah, they’re going to get tested for sure.

Senior agrees that he doesn’t see the Raiders going on some magical run, but you do have some players with a better attitude and who are motivated a little more for a coach who will look at the glass half full rather than half empty. But one thing we have found out, Senior says, is that the Patriot Way only works in New England, and maybe only works with Tom Brady on the field.

Meanwhile, Senior shared who he trusts right now in the AFC ...

SHOW BREAKDOWN

Joe Burrow’s Bengals beat the Bills, Who’s Top 3 in the AFC, New Raiders, Who Dis? and CJ Stroud leads the All-Weekend Team + MNF Preview: Chargers at Jets

VIDEO:

Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show will also be available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.

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