After a rather lackluster start to the second half, the Carolina offense found its footing in the fourth quarter and erased a double-digit deficit to take the lead.
With just a few minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Las Vegas Raiders punched in the go-ahead touchdown on the ground, which was running back Josh Jacobs' third touchdown of the game. The game was shaping up to be one of those games where the team who could make a stop late in the game would go onto win and that's exactly what happened.
Carolina was driving with less than two minutes to play and had to convert a fourth down to keep their hopes of winning alive. On fourth and inches, one would think that the play call would be obvious - hand it to No. 22 and let him do his thing. Shockingly, Bridgewater snapped it, turned, and handed it off to fullback Alex Armah who was stopped at the line of scrimmage, essentially ending the game.
Panthers head coach Matt Rhule addressed the media as to what the thinking was behind handing it off to the fullback, Armah.
"It was half a yard. It was the same play they had run earlier on third and one or fourth and one and we just thought running the ball behind the offensive line, get half a yard and we felt like we had the ability to do that. In terms of what broke down of the field, it looked like someone knifed it and, in that situation, obviously, you are hoping to reach across and find a way and we just didn't find a way. [It was a] disappointing end to that to have two downs and obviously not getting it. That's just the way it went down."
When asked why McCaffrey's number wasn't called, Rhule responding by taking the blame despite the play call coming from offensive coordinator Joe Brady.
"It's a great question and I'm not second guessing anyone. That's a head coach decision type of thing, so that's me. That's something I'll have to think about walking away from this. We have confidence in all of our players and we have confidence in our plays. Inside of a yard - sort of that fullback belly, quarterback sneak, that's kind of the world we're in and had worked before, so we thought it would work again. I think when you write up who to blame, I think the only person you can blame for that is the head coach."
Christian McCaffrey didn't seem to bothered by the play choice and noted that it's not what lost the Panthers the game. He had confidence in the play as well.
"It was a play we were all on board with and stuff like that happens all the time. It's tough to put something on one play, but we've just got to get back to the drawing board, figure out all of the mistakes we made and correct them," McCaffrey said. "Alex [Armah] is a heck of a fullback and is very capable of getting that. It's a play we've scored on before, it's a play we've ran before and had success but it is what it is. Maybe they make and adjustment, maybe they don't, but all I know is that it doesn't matter. It happened and we've got to move on."
Following the stop, the Raiders were able to run out the clock and hand Matt Rhule his first loss as an NFL head coach.
Carolina will travel to Tampa Bay next Sunday to take on Tom Brady and the Buccaneers.
You can follow us for future coverage by clicking "Follow" on the top righthand corner of the page. Also, be sure to like us on Facebook & Twitter:
Facebook - @WVUonSI
Twitter - @SI_WVU and Schuyler Callihan at @Callihan_.
"Short" - Google News
September 14, 2020 at 07:08AM
https://ift.tt/33sP5p9
Rhule Gives Explanation for Questionable 4th & Short Call - Sports Illustrated
"Short" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2QJPxcA
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Rhule Gives Explanation for Questionable 4th & Short Call - Sports Illustrated"
Post a Comment