Two Raiders assistants deserve recent praise for team's turnaround
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jun 9, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterbacks coach Todd Downing (right) with quarterbacks Cody Fajardo (8) and Derek Carr (4) at minicamp at the Raiders practice facility. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Todd Downing and Mike Tice deserve just as much credit for the Raiders' turnaround than anyone.
Downing, the quarterbacks coach, worked with Derek Carr through a breakout 2015. And Tice, the offensive line coach, groomed the line in front of Carr.
Both were named on Pro Football Focus' top positional coaches list for their 2015 efforts. Downing, 35, was named as the NFL's best quarterbacking guru.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Both coaches deserve their accolades. Downing coaxed Carr into a 33-touchdown season, and worked with him when he committed egregious mistakes.
Meanwhile, Tice's line gelled despite losing Menelik Watson for the season. He got by with Austin Howard at right tackle and former cast-off J'Marcus Webb at guard -- and that deserves some recongnition .