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.
Leverage is called on Leal and the drive continues pic.twitter.com/VZtEJK8MqU
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) September 25, 2023
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.
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.
Raiders kick on 4th-and-4 on PIT 8
WP Go: 15.8%
WP Kick: 10.2%A big error by McDaniels, per our model.
— Seth Walder (@SethWalder) September 25, 2023
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.
"We needed multiple possessions." #Raiders coach Josh McDaniels, on why he kicked the FG down 8 points. pic.twitter.com/rIvIWlYQyu
— Paul Gutierrez (@PGutierrezESPN) September 25, 2023
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.
sometimes you just want to lose, and i relate to the raiders on that level
— Natalie Weiner (@natalieweiner) September 25, 2023
Don’t worry everyone. Josh McDaniels is trusting his elite defense who’s defensive efficiency is only better than the Broncos who had 70 dropped on their head today👍 https://t.co/yPvB89F1rF
— Arjun Menon (@arjunmenon100) September 25, 2023
Josh McDaniels reading the script that he has to take a field goal there pic.twitter.com/BxZP3Avhac
— Kofie 🔜 TwitchCon Vegas (@Kofie) September 25, 2023
Josh McDaniels is unserious as a game manager
— JP Acosta (Pug Dederson Stan Acct) (@acosta32_jp) September 25, 2023
8 yards away or maybe getting another possession with hardly any time and needing to drive? Josh McDaniels says the latter
— Kaelen Jones (@kaelenjones) September 25, 2023
On a day where the Packers showed the beauty of analytics, it's nice to know the NFL still has guys like McDaniels 🤣
— Matt LaMarca (@MattLaMarca) September 25, 2023
Coach who just scored 8 points last possession does not try to score 8 points in next possession, while team is down 8
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 25, 2023
Brilliant stuff from McDaniels to kick that field goal to narrow the lead down from a one-score game to a one-score game
— Super Bowl 52 MVP (@vj_v_) September 25, 2023
MCDANIELS
WE CAN SEE YOU
— Derrik Klassen (@QBKlass) September 25, 2023
josh what r u doing
— charles (“you look good” – andy reid) mcdonald (@FourVerts) September 25, 2023
What. Are. You. Doing??? https://t.co/9Bkuc67fGC
— Andy Hutchins (@AndyHutchins) September 25, 2023
Raiders be serious lol
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) September 25, 2023
“Hey coach, down 8, need a TD here”
Josh McDaniels:
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) September 25, 2023
Josh McDaniels is about to walk down the road and stay on 11
— Bunkie Perkins (@BunkiePerkins) September 25, 2023
watching McDaniels kick FGs at the 8-yd line pic.twitter.com/E9istiqTTw
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 25, 2023
