The Oakland Raiders completed their on-field preparation Wednesday, leading up to their matchup with the St. Louis Rams Friday night at O.co Coliseum. The game marks the opening of the 2015 preseason for the Silver and Black, and kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 pm.
Following Wednesday's practice, Head Coach Jack Del Rio addressed the media, and during his brief remarks, he spoke about his emotions heading into his first game as Raiders head coach, as well as his thoughts on the day's practice.
FRIDAY IS A BIG DAY
Friday's preseason game against the St. Louis Rams will be the first game that Head Coach Jack Del Rio coaches as the leader of the Oakland Raiders.
Growing up in nearby Hayward, Calif., Head Coach Del Rio discussed his feelings leading into the matchup.
"Well, you know. A lot. A lot of emotion. A lot of emotions thinking about it. More importantly, I think, getting the team ready is where my focus is. I think at some point the reality of being there will set in but right now it's all about getting the team ready to play well."
CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY
After the day's work, Head Coach Del Rio spoke about what he wanted to accomplish in the team's last practice before opening the preseason.
"Just want to be sharp. Just want to play crisp football, execute all the phases. We're looking to put a good showing out there. We want to make sure we continue to prepare that way. We're looking, really, to flatten it out, to have a few less of the ups and downs. And have the ups and getting better and being consistent. So, we're really trying to flatten out our performance and make sure it just stays at a high level and that we remain consistent in what we're doing."
CUTTING DOWN ON MENTAL MISTAKES
During practice, the respective units can be seen doing up-downs on the field after making mental mistakes during drills.
Head Coach Del Rio spoke about the origin of this disciplinary technique.
"That comes from me. There are things that'll get you beat. And we'll make sure we provide plenty of incentive to eliminate that."
