ckessel
4221
That’s why I thought going for it made sense. Palmer had, I think, a perfect passer rating over 3 quarters (when was the interception?). Bush had some huge number of yards as well. So, Hue puts the game solely in the D rather than put any trust in his offense that had done so well this game. The D had played well too this game, so going for it and missing still gave you a good shot at winning. Though the Raider defense gave up 31 points in the 2nd half last week, so maybe that’s more reason not to solely rely on the defense at the end.
Shadarr
4222
As Bill’s game log shows (thanks Bill, you’re more dedicated to this than I am!), the Raiders were not exactly imposing their will on the San Diego defense at that point in the game. Bush had two first down runs, one for no yards and one for a loss of one. He picked up 11 yards on third and 12, but I’m going to go out on a limb and assume the defense was playing pass. So, I don’t think it’s at all contentious for Jackson to doubt that they can pick up a yard when the defense is looking to stop the run.
ckessel
4223
Using two runs as the sample size for the decision? What about the 150 yards before that?
The Raiders had 41 rushing plays, of which 4 were for a loss.
Two runs on the last possession where SD was playing to stop the run. I think it shows there’s a good chance the Raiders might not make it. SD would have had everyone in the box.
In terms of the difference in field position between the 11 or 40 meaning the Raiders play a different defense, maybe, but the 22 yard gain was a pass over the middle. That might have still been there. The safeties still would have been back to guard against the home run and the other DBs would have been guarding the sidelines.
Why don’t they play thursday nights until mid november?
I’ve always assumed it is because of TV contracts. The NFL doesn’t like putting pro games on TV at the same time–or really even on the same day–as college games, and ESPN shows college games on Thursdays for the first 8 or so weeks of the college season. Once that season starts to wind down, the NFL picks up the slack time to get more exposure for more of their games. The NFL also starts scheduling some games on Saturday once the NCAA season is completely over.
Not a matter of what they like. The NFL is prevented by law from competing with college games.
sluggo
4228
What law would that be?
There was a college game last Thursday during the Raiders/Chargers game, and there will be NFL and college games going on at the same time for the next few Thursday nights. That has been true for a few years now.
Sarkus
4230
I don’t think it’s a law, more of a “understanding” that is probably emphasized by other forces as well.
Yawn. What I think is that they were certainly capable of moving the ball that far and considering the 4th and 1 was at the 47 yard line, more was at stake in failing than you seem to to think.
You do whatever you want. I didn’t start insulting anyone’s intelligence and looking down noses and talking of disappointment.
I’ve always wished for a Saturday night NFL game. I know they don’t run one to avoid competing with the NCAA, but I wish they could work some in.
The best football weekends of the year are the two weekends with two playoff games on Saturday and two on Sunday.
IIRC the NFL is more concerned with not showing games on Fridays when high school football is being played. Traditionally I think another reason is the NFL and MLB are fairly chummy and they like to wait until the MLB season has ended, although this season the NFL did try to shop around the first 8 weeks of the season to another network for NFL games, but there were no takers (I assume, for this season anyway).
sluggo
4235
Yeah, there’s no law that I know of, it’s just the NFL leaving Fridays to high school and Saturdays to college. I think we’ll eventually get Thursday NFL games all year round.
I appreciate that, sluggo. I am fine with agreeing they probably win either way, FWIW.
How about you do whatever you feel you need to in the wake of one argument and not worry about me because I’m not doing a goddamned thing in either case.
Also think about it the next time you start with the insults first, like you did in this thread. Or did you forget the first thing you said to me was “I’m really disappointed in you Bill. You’re either being an ass or stupid.”
Since the NFL can’t expand the schedule to 18 games (and I do hope they won’t), I think the only way they can expand the brand are more games during the week. Personally I see Thursday night football being all season, possibly Tuesday night and maybe a Wednesday night if you put that as a bye in-between.
I don’t know why the NFL is chummy with MLB. MLB is the one who needs to be chummy with the NFL. There’s no ratings contest between an NFL and MLB game in the same time slot – the NFL clobbers MLB. I suspect it has more to do with the networks being chummy than the respective sports.
High school and college football I get – that’s the NFL’s farm system and it creates enthusiasm for the game. Give them their day to shine and the entire sport benefits.
That’s probably a better way of putting it.
Absolutely. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the CBA had some wording in it about “midweek” games, I am not sure what players think of them.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/15/1293.html
Like MLB, the NFL enjoys a special exemption from anti-trust law. In return, one of the stipulations is that it cannot have professional games in competition with local college and high school games.
