Week 18 Discussion Thread

[p_rushing]

Didn't the Chargers TO come with <5 seconds on the play clock? It wasn't like they were trying to save time, they had a defensive issue on defense.

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[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by TheMatrix31

The only thing I can think of is, if this "timeout changed everything!" thing is true, then it must have been that the Raiders thought there was some unspoken agreement and once the TO was called, maybe they felt the Chargers were gonna try to screw them or something and said "OK **** you" to kill it off. I dunno. Just a crazy game. Circumstances were really remarkable.

Pretty much. Would have been a player safety matter. Raiders may have been running the clock and thinking both teams should be in getting out of the game healthy mode. Similar to how Fangio was mad at the Ravens earlier this year, not because they tied a record in a cheap manner or cause of the yards, but because in his eyes Harbough violated the unspoken player safety agreement.
Could be the same thing here and the FG was retribution.

[ggsimmonds]

Quote: Originally Posted by p_rushing

Didn't the Chargers TO come with <5 seconds on the play clock? It wasn't like they were trying to save time, they had a defensive issue on defense. Sent from my SM-T970 using Tapatalk

Thats what Staley said:
"Asked why he took a timeout with 38 seconds to play in OT, Chargers coach Brandon Staley explained, "We needed to get in the right grouping; we felt like they were going to run the ball, so we wanted to get our best 11 personnel run defense in. Make that substitution so that we could get a play where we would deepen the field goal.""

Seems like the Raiders were going to kick the field goal if the opportunity presented itself regardless, but they weren't going to go out of their way or take any risks to do so. I.e. Aim for the field goal, but not a problem if they don't get the chance.

Of course thats not as juicy a headline as "idiot coach costs his team the playoffs by calling timeout"

[slickdtc]

Yeah, each subsequent play and decision impacted the next. Jacobs rips off some runs, the timeout is called now you’re like let’s go win it. I don’t fault Staley for his decisions. They’ve been burned plenty but also ended up on the right end plenty this season on aggressive play calls.

End of the day, they lost to Houston in Week 16. Maybe they could’ve been the ones kneeling if they hadn’t blown that one.

Interesting AFC playoff picture. One of OAK @ CIN will break their long standing playoff win drought, NE @ BUF is the rubber match in a rivalry, and uh Big Ben gets to play another game. Can’t say I care about PIT @ KC after the Chiefs worked ‘em the other week. That would be a pretty massive upset.

The NFC seems extra tough. An NFC West matchup, so who knows, SF @ DAL is such a rough draw for the Cowboys, Bucs / Eagles is probably the “easiest” game to pick. Feels like GB will have to fend off DAL or SF to get where they’re going. And TB too, for that matter.

Playoffs boys! Best time of the year!

[ninertravel]

yeah it just seem right that the Chargers and Colts are not the 2 playoff teams and steelers (somehow after people have been blasting big ben all year) and raiders are in