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Antonio Pierce Says Playing Raiders ‘Felt Like a Scrimmage’

The Oakland Raiders are bad. They are, in fact, very bad. How bad, exactly? According to Giants linebacker Antonio Pierce, they couldn't even compete with the Giants in practice.

"I do not like knocking teams, but right now, they're struggling," Pierce said on a radio interview on Tuesday. "We're playing that game the other day and, honestly, it felt like a scrimmage, like a practice. It felt like we were going against our offense [in a controlled setting] as far as the tempo."

Pierce said the Raiders' issues don't necessarily stem from a lack of talent, but instead from a lack of effort.

"There was no vibe of trying or effort from the Raiders at all from a defensive standpoint against their offense," he said. "We're getting three-and-outs. You don't hear nobody [saying], 'Hey, let's go!' trying to pick the guys up, rallying them, getting guys fired up. There was nothing. It was quiet. … It's not like there's yelling or no kind of [emotion] about the way they were playing.

"It was shocking to be out there in that game and get that kind of feeling."

While it may have been shocking to Pierce, that was hardly the case for anyone who's watched the Raiders this season.

"It's sad because I grew up a Raiders fan," Pierce said. "That organization right now, they need some guidance. They need somebody to pick them up."

Perhaps Pierce's comments will light a fire underneath the Raiders. Well, at least until Tom Cable stomps it out.