Oakland Raiders to Interview Eagles' Marty Mornhinweg for Head Coach Position

The Raiders search for Hue Jackson's replacement is continuing, as Jeff McLane of the Philadelphia Inquirer is set to interview with the Raiders for their head coaching vacancy.

Mornhinweg has been the Eagles' offensive coordinator since 2006, and was the head coach of the Lions in 2001 and 2002.

What it means?

On the one hand, you can say that this is just the Raiders keeping their options open and exploring all candidates. That's fine, but the Raiders need someone with a defensive mindset running the show.

Any way you slice it, the Raiders had one of the worst defenses in the NFL in 2011. 

They were 27th in passing and rushing yards per game, and 30th in points allowed. Defensive help is needed, and that starts with the men leading the show. 

On top of that, Mornhinweg does not have a good record as a head coach. His record with the Lions was 5-27, which is the sure-fire sign of a guy who's a good coordinator, but not a good head man. 

What's next?

In past years, I would say that the Raiders would hire a guy like this. The Raiders have certainly shown a preference to offensive-minded coaches in the past. Mornhinweg certainly falls into that group.

But they have never had a general manager making those decisions in the past, and Reggie McKenzie is a complete outsider. Any NFL team looking to fill a vacancy is certainly best suited to explore all options, even if they aren't the sexiest names. 

It has been a long time since Mornhinweg was a head coach, and he's certainly enjoyed a lot of success as a coordinator. 

Still, this is not a logical move for the Raiders. They need a guy with a defensive mindset, who doesn't have as much negative baggage as a head coach. 

Mornhinweg doesn't fall into either category.

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