In postgame remarks to NBC, Las Vegas quarterback Derek Carr suggested the Raiders changed their approach after the Chargers called time with 38 seconds remaining in overtime.
He implied the Raiders were more intent on winning — rather than taking the tie that would have advanced both teams to the playoffs — after Chargers coach Brandon Staley stopped the clock.
But Carr also said Las Vegas was trying to win the whole time, so who can really be certain? Staley explained that he called time to get the Chargers in a better personnel grouping against the run.
Safety Derwin James Jr. dismissed Carr’s remarks and said it was the Chargers’ lack of execution that was responsible for them missing out on the postseason.
“We can’t believe what he’s saying in that moment,” James said. “I mean, we didn’t make the plays to win the game. We can’t depend on somebody kneeing it out to be in the playoffs.”
Rather than the timeout, it seems more likely that the Raiders changed their approach following Josh Jacobs’ 10-yard gain on third-and-four, advancing the ball to the Chargers’ 29-yard line.
Instead of facing a 57-yard field-goal attempt, Las Vegas suddenly had a 47-yarder. Daniel Carlson’s career-long kick came from 56 yards, earlier this year.
“I had never been rooting for a tie more in my life,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert said. “That’s the unfortunate part of being so close.”
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