'You Can't Let Adversity Affect Who You Are'

It’s been a trying month for Raiders head coach Jack Del Rio, who has watched his team go from favorites to challenge New England for supremacy in the AFC to a team whose playoff hopes could be dashed before the season even reaches the midway point.

In an effort to shake things up, the Raiders signed inside linebacker NaVorro Bowman on Oct. 16 after Bowman was released by the San Francisco 49ers a few days earlier. Whether Bowman can get the defense going remains to be seen. Del Rio talked about his talks with Bowman before the one-year deal was signed, along with a variety of other topics including quarterback Derek Carr and the hunger of the remaining players in the locker room during his weekly meetings with reporters.

Q: What are your initial impressions of NaVorro Bowman?

A: He’s a veteran guy, very instinctive. We look forward to having that kind of guy on the field for us. I met him last year. Very impressive young man to me. Kind of a man’s man. He’s been a tough player and a part of a really good defense for his entire career. I had a chance to talk to him a little bit and talk about the veteran leadership that would be nice to have, so he’s here.

Q: What’s the feeling in the locker room?

A: To me you just get on with the next game and you go compete. That’s what it is. The positives are the things you want to continue to accentuate. You can’t let adversity or things not going your way affect who you are. We’re defined by how we conduct ourselves, how we carry on, in the face of adversity. It’s easy when things are going well. When things are strained and when it’s tough, can you remain a positive force for us? I’m seeing a lot of encouraging signs and we’re going to continue to work at it.

Q: What’s missing from the offense?