2021 NFL Season

[GirlySports]

Again, the Chargers lost because they did not waste the clock when they had the ball.

• 1st & 10 at LV 27
  (5:21 - OT) A.Ekeler left guard to LV 23 for 4 yards (K.Wright).

• 2nd & 6 at LV 23
  (4:44 - OT) (Shotgun) J.Herbert pass incomplete short right to J.Guyton (C.Hayward).

• 3rd & 6 at LV 23
  (4:40 - OT) (Shotgun) J.Herbert pass incomplete deep right to M.Williams.

• 4th & 6 at LV 23
  (4:30 - OT) Dustin Hopkins 41 Yd Field Goal

Those two pass plays on 2nd and 3rd down are inexplicable. You would not to that if you were down by 2 (which they essentially were).
You run the ball two more times. If you get a first down, you run it three more times, or very very short screen passes. Put the tie in your pocket first.

[bubbsy]

Wow, dolphins fire Flores. I did NOT see it coming. Thought going 7-1 in last half of season (and sweeping the pat's) would have saved him.

I'm not a huge fan of the dolphins current situation. I would have liked both gm and coach to be replaced, as the challenges in Miami are greater than the on field play and decisions (which were avg, at best, no doubt)

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Again, the Chargers lost because they did not waste the clock when they had the ball.



Those two pass plays on 2nd and 3rd down are inexplicable. You would not to that if you were down by 2 (which they essentially were).
You run the ball two more times. If you get a first down, you run it three more times, or very very short screen passes. Put the tie in your pocket first.

The Chargers couldn't really commit to going for a win or a tie is what it felt like. Right before those plays, Williams seemed like he had a good chance to go to the end zone and just ran out of bounds a little too easy in good fg range.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Playing for the FG is not a gimme though. Yeah they could have ran it into the line twice and kicked, but if they missed the kick everyone would be saying "why did you settle for the FG and not push for a TD?". It's MMQB time, no matter how it ended without a tie we'd be asking why didn't one team do more to tie.

The reality is, and I keep harping on this, it's that 3rd and 23. It changed the game, Chargers probably win easily if they just stop them there because they were already winning and the Raiders were reeling after the strong start. Instead they gave the Raiders life and the Raiders ran with it from there.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

Playing for the FG is not a gimme though. Yeah they could have ran it into the line twice and kicked, but if they missed the kick everyone would be saying "why did you settle for the FG and not push for a TD?". It's MMQB time, no matter how it ended without a tie we'd be asking why didn't one team do more to tie.

The reality is, and I keep harping on this, it's that 3rd and 23. It changed the game, Chargers probably win easily if they just stop them there because they were already winning and the Raiders were reeling after the strong start. Instead they gave the Raiders life and the Raiders ran with it from there.

Just think about how they would have played it if they were down 2 in a normal game regulation time winding down. If you feel that they still would have gone for a TD, then there is no difference. But I don't believe that.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Again, the Chargers lost because they did not waste the clock when they had the ball.



Those two pass plays on 2nd and 3rd down are inexplicable. You would not to that if you were down by 2 (which they essentially were).
You run the ball two more times. If you get a first down, you run it three more times, or very very short screen passes. Put the tie in your pocket first.

even with 80 seconds off the clock they still had 3 mins to get into field goal range.

The Chargers lost the game because they went for a home run shot on 3rd and 6 and didn't go for it on 4th down.

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

even with 80 seconds off the clock they still had 3 mins to get into field goal range.

The Chargers lost the game because they went for a home run shot on 3rd and 6 and didn't go for it on 4th down.

That's worst case scenario. Still 3 mins is different than 4:30. You can get a first down running twice on 2nd and 6, or short screens. Then you can milk the clock down past the 2 minute warning.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Just think about how they would have played it if they were down 2 in a normal game regulation time winding down. If you feel that they still would have gone for a TD, then there is no difference. But I don't believe that.

I don't think the Chargers had one iota of care about the clock. They were playing for the TD to win, and they were going to keep either throwing 12 yard rocket balls, or heaving long balls down the field. But when they got to 4th and 6 and a FG keeps them alive where not converting on 4th was certain death, they opted for the Field Goal. They just forgot that they were only converting 25% of their passes at the end of the game and that they only had 2 throws left.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Just think about how they would have played it if they were down 2 in a normal game regulation time winding down. If you feel that they still would have gone for a TD, then there is no difference. But I don't believe that.

Down two with 4 minutes left and the other team having timeouts, you go for a TD or first downs.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

Just think about how they would have played it if they were down 2 in a normal game regulation time winding down. If you feel that they still would have gone for a TD, then there is no difference. But I don't believe that.

But a FG doesn't guarantee a tie. The only guarantee the Chargers had from a control perspective is a TD means they cannot lose and thus are in the playoffs. A FG still leaves a loss open which of course is what happened. End of game management is about ensuring the opponent never gets the ball back, and a TD was the only way to ensure that.

The Chargers might have been able to run the clock down inside two minutes with a couple of first downs and maybe that would be enough. But if the crazy ass NFL has shown us anything this year it's leaving even the slightest door open is asking for trouble.

[Strange Brew]

Yeah I understand why the Chargers went for a TD and it played out in the Raiders last drive. While the Raiders weren't super aggressive, they moved the ball down the field. I understand not wanting to give them that opportunity.

Now with less time do the Raiders get way more conservative? Possibly but 3 minutes is still plenty. No way would I put my whole season in the hands of the opposing coach hoping he doesn't care about winning.

[Senator Clay Davis]

At the end of the day without unequivocally knowing how the other coach was going to play it you are simply guessing. Both teams had a chance score a TD in OT to seal a win and leave no assuming. And both teams tried to do so. Chargers have far more to blame then not draining more time or the "mind changing timeout".

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But a FG doesn't guarantee a tie. The only guarantee the Chargers had from a control perspective is a TD means they cannot lose and thus are in the playoffs. A FG still leaves a loss open which of course is what happened. End of game management is about ensuring the opponent never gets the ball back, and a TD was the only way to ensure that.

The Chargers might have been able to run the clock down inside two minutes with a couple of first downs and maybe that would be enough. But if the crazy ass NFL has shown us anything this year it's leaving even the slightest door open is asking for trouble.

Raiders aren't taking risks at their own 25 under 2 minutes when a tie qualifies them too. It is not the desperation two minute drive at the end of a normal 4th quarter. I think you would have seen 3 kneeldowns.

Three of their first four plays on the final drive were throws. Why? Because there were 4:30 left. Once it hit 2:00, they ran.

[Senator Clay Davis]

But once the Raiders get the ball back, even if the Chargers run 80 seconds off the clock with two more runs and a kick, there is still more than enough time for the Chargers to get a stop and get the ball back. Unless Staley holds up a white flag or something how do you know they won't try and win? Now if you're the Raiders and you run, run, run, punt, you have ceded control and can now lose if the opponent wants to try and win. Assuming anything is a surefire way to lose.

There is no need to micro analyze how to blame the Chargers loss here. They could have lost doing everything you suggested. There were far more obvious reasons they lost other than "not draining the clock" or "The Timeout".

[Strange Brew]

Originally Posted by Senator Clay Davis

But once the Raiders get the ball back, even if the Chargers run 80 seconds off the clock with two more runs and a kick, there is still more than enough time for the Chargers to get a stop and get the ball back. Unless Staley holds up a white flag or something how do you know they won't try and win? Now if you're the Raiders and you run, run, run, punt, you have ceded control and can now lose if the opponent wants to try and win. Assuming anything is a surefire way to lose.

There is no need to micro analyze how to blame the Chargers loss here. They could have lost doing everything you suggested. There were far more obvious reasons they lost other than "not draining the clock" or "The Timeout".

Yeah. Let's start with giving up 10 yards on a running play after you just called TO to put in your best run defense.

Of course the Chargers pulled off several miracles just to get to that point. How hard can you be on them?

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

Yeah. Let's start with giving up 10 yards on a running play after you just called TO to put in your best run defense.

Of course the Chargers pulled off several miracles just to get to that point. How hard can you be on them?

I think that's a cop out excuse by Staley. Why wasn't your best run personnel already on the field? It's obvious to everyone that they are going to run 3 times so long as the clock is running. Was the best run personnel on the field when they got 7 yards on 2nd and 11? And was that really the best run personnel that gave up 10 yards on 3rd and 4?

[corporatejay]

Firing Flores is a bad idea. He's a good coach. Classic terrible organization being terrible.

[devo22]

Gettleman is retiring. Nothing with regards to Judge yet.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by devo22

Gettleman is retiring. Nothing with regards to Judge yet.

I get the feeling it was probably the Giants allowing him to retire rather than fire him as his tenure was a disaster.

[devo22]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

I get the feeling it was probably the Giants allowing him to retire rather than fire him as his tenure was a disaster.

yeah, I thought about putting "retire" in quotation marks.