Todd Bowles Reportedly Interviewing for Raiders' Head Coaching Job

The Raiders aren't wasting a lot of time in their quest to replace Hue Jackson as the head coach. ESPN's Chris Mortensen is reporting that Todd Bowles is interviewing with the Raiders to fill the vacancy. 

Bowles was the interim coach for the Dolphins after they fired Tony Sparano. Bowles led the Dolphins to a 2-1 record.

The interview is not being met with open arms by all Raiders fans.

No, this is not the sexiest name out there. There's no real way around that. But the Raiders don't need the sexy name right now. What the Raiders do need is a defensive guy. That's what Bowles is.

No matter what numbers you look at, they were one of the worst defenses in the NFL last year. They were terrible against the run, against the pass and allowed a lot of points. If the Raiders could play four good quarters of defense, they would be a 10-6 team, and even that's a conservative guess. As it is, they're 8-8 and watching the playoffs. 

The Dolphins became a better team when Bowles was the head coach. The only game they lost was a close game against the Patriots in New England. Miami actually led for most of that game. 

The Raiders have gotten into trouble in recent years because their defense couldn't get off of the field. They have offensive talent in place, but they don't get to spend enough time on the field. 

For as bad as Carson Palmer was at times in turning the ball over, the defense is what let the team down. The Raiders are well served to bring in a coach with a defensive mindset and a little less star appeal. 

The offensive guys on the coaching staff can work with the talent in place. But they need a guy to come in and bring a blue collar mindset to the defensive side of the ball. Bowles will do just that. As a result, the team will be better. 

If the Raiders van find a good defense, they are a viable AFC West favorite heading into the 2012 season.

Follow @mdixon1985