Raiders coach Antonio Pierce apologizes for remark about “business decisions.”

LAS VEGAS – It was what Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce called “a busy week” for his team.

After the Raiders earned a narrow 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday to even their record at 2-2, Pierce said he was sorry.

I'm sorry for his part in the pseudo-whirlwind that started when he said some Raiders players made “business decisions” in the wake of their poor loss to the Carolina Panthers and that the Raiders were thus making their own “business decisions.” .

“There was a lot of fanfare and stuff,” Pierce said Sunday. “It probably started with me, with my comments, and I apologize for that. I don't want to be distracting in this way, but…we just went to work every day. “Things were coming out all week, and guys, just never.” winced (or blinked).

One of the players Pierce's comments were likely aimed at – starting cornerback Jack Jones, who was spotted making several late-game tackles against the Panthers – did not play in the first quarter against the Browns.

A team business decision?

“Yes, that was my decision,” Pierce said. “This is between me and Jack.”

Jones, who sat out the Raiders' first two defensive series, had no anger in his voice after the game.

“S—, that's great,” Jones, who has known Pierce since high school in Long Beach, Calif., said with a smile.

“I mean, if I'm not up, I'm not up. When I'm up, I gotta play…that's something you need to talk to AP about, man. I am the player.” .”

Another problem of the week was that Las Vegas was without its two biggest stars: three-time first-team All-Pro receiver Davante Adams, who suffered a hamstring injury in practice on Thursday, and three-time Pro Bowl edge Rusher Maxx Crosby, who suffered a hamstring injury and left upper ankle sprain in Week 2, as well as four other starters – tight end Michael Mayer (personal reasons), linebacker Divine Deablo (oblique), right tackle Thayer Munford Jr. (ankle/knee). and safety Marcus Epps (knee). . Epps was placed on injured reserve this week.

Although Pierce said in his press conference Friday that neither Adams nor Crosby would play against the Browns, Crosby was later officially listed as doubtful on the injury report, contradicting the coach.

Crosby was inactive.

And even though Adams was on the sideline during the game – the hamstring appeared fine as he sprinted to celebrate fellow receiver DJ Turner's first career touchdown, an 18-yard run, in the third quarter – Crosby , who missed the first game in his six-year NFL career.

However, Crosby later video-called his colleagues in the Raiders' victorious locker room.

“We had Maxx on the ground,” defensive tackle Adam Butler said, “so someone had to step up.”

Paging, then, defensive end Charles Snowden, who entered four years with five NFL games on his resume.

“Maxx is a great player and … with him not being out there, his playmaking and just his energy, we all just took our role and knew that one person wasn't going to be Maxx Crosby,” said Snowden, whose firing by Deshaun Watson's fourth-and-3 with the Browns at the Raiders' 9-yard line sealed the game with 35 seconds to play.

“It would have cost us all.”

Talk about a business decision.