Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Christian D'Andrea

Josh McDaniels crushed the Raiders’ comeback hopes with an awful field goal call

Josh McDaniels Raiders Davante Adams DeMarvin Leal Steelers

The Las Vegas Raiders had momentum. They had an opponent who couldn’t stop shooting itself in the foot.

They also had head coach Josh McDaniels. So they lost.

Las Vegas was in the midst of of potential prime time comeback late Sunday night. After falling behind to the Pittsburgh Steelers 23-7, a Davante Adams touchdown catch and ensuing two-point conversion had made it a one-possession game. Pittsburgh’s three-and-out that followed lasted just 62 seconds, creating space for a possible game-tying score as the clock ran down on the fourth quarter.

But facing fourth-and-short, in an eight point game, McDaniels opted for a field goal.

Twice.

And, as a reward for this impressive lack of backbone, was served a 23-18 defeat.

The first baffling kick decision came with 3:11 to play. After a snap infraction wiped out fourth-and-one, McDaniels opted to have Daniel Carlson attempt a 48-yard field goal. The kick was good, but a leverage penalty on DeMarvin Leal seemingly bailed out the Raiders.

Las Vegas got a set of fresh downs, moved to the Steelers’ eight-yard line. McDaniels was granted respite by the football gods. He then spat in their faces.

Facing fourth-and-four in a game where he’d already converted one of two fourth downs, the second-year head coach opted for the field goal again, this time with only 2:22 to play in an eight-point game. Nevermind the fact Davante Adams — 13 catches for 172 yards and both the team’s touchdowns — had been a force unto himself by that point. McDaniels really, really wanted that field goal and trusted his 31st-ranked defense to do the rest.

via RBSDM.com and the author

The 26-yard kick was good, and now the Steelers only needed a first down to effectively ice the game. They got it, and after the Raiders burned all their timeouts Vegas got the ball back at their own 15 with 12 seconds left. Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception and that was that; a game McDaniels was in position to win became a loss and terrible memories of the 2022 season were dredged back to the surface.

McDaniels’ job security was in question before Week 3. Now he stared down an eight point deficit with fewer than four minutes to play and twice — twice! — opted for three points instead of what could have been a game-tying touchdown. This was a man who, whether he understood it or not, was playing to lose.

After the game, McDaniels was asked about his decision. That’s when the head coach who’d scored eight points one drive earlier, suddenly seemed to forget you can score eight points on a single drive.

There’s logic behind that reasoning. Not logic that can be understood by rational humans of course, but there’s some combination of thoughts and treatises by which that field goal made sense in Josh McDaniels’ mind and absolutely no where else. Of course, analysts and fans took notice.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Tom Hardy's Venom And Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man Crossover Teased.
Fan trailer 'Venom: The Last Dance' hints at a clash between Tom Hardy's Venom and Andrew Garfield's Peter Parker in The Amazing Spider-Man 3, sparking exc...
Top News
Top News
The Anxious Generation wants to save teens. But the bestseller’s anti-tech logic is skewed
There’s no doubt about the mental health crisis facing young people. Jonathan Haidt blames our devices – which oversimplifies the problem
The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
How to play with Barbie dolls: 6 ways to use the iconic doll as a positive role model at home
If you have a little one who loves to play with Barbie, there are lots of positive ways in which you can encourage them to play in a way that helps their development and self-esteem. We’ll show you how.
GoodToKnow
GoodToKnow
7 Google Docs keyboard shortcuts to get more done in less time
Google Docs is a great free online word processor, and you can get a lot of productivity out of it once you know these keyboard shortcuts.
Tom’s Guide
Tom’s Guide
Woman Misses Her Freckles So She Paints Them On, Gets Called Out For ‘Cultural Appropriation’
Cultural appropriation in beauty and fashion is nothing new. But today, it seems impossible that white models could walk a runway in dreadlocks, tribal and Native American dress, or geisha makeup and kimonos. Appropriation happens when consumers or companies use and manufacture products that either promote cultural stereotypes or take…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate
For many of us, texting is a huge part of our lives. However, some messages can take an unexpected turn for the bizarre, hilarious, and even downright cringy. The post 50 Texts Women Got From Men That Are A Crash Course In How Not To Communicate first appeared on Bored…
Bored Panda
Bored Panda
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.
Download on the AppStore Get it on Google Play