Week 8 Discussion Thread

[Erik]

but they got incredibly cocky and decided to snap the ball to move it an inch or two so Novak could have a straight shot (as if a 32-yd FG isn't easy enough for a pro kicker).

They kept snapping the ball because the Chiefs had no timeouts left. Had they executed the snaps properly, they could have run down the clock and kicked the winning FG without leaving any time for the Chiefs to get the ball back. That was why they snapped the ball, not making it easier for Novak.

[Erik]

In any case, both teams looked like they have a lot of holes. I can definitely see the Raiders winning that division if they get their QB situation sorted out.

[revo]

More Tebow pile-on. Ouch:

“Can you believe No. 15 (Tebow)? Come on – that’s embarrassing. I mean, it’s a joke. We knew all week that if we brought any kind of defensive pressure, he couldn’t do anything. In the second half it got boring out there. We were like, ‘Come on – that’s your quarterback? Seriously?’” - Anonymous Lions defender to Yahoo.com's Michael Silver

[revo]

They kept snapping the ball because the Chiefs had no timeouts left. Had they executed the snaps properly, they could have run down the clock and kicked the winning FG without leaving any time for the Chiefs to get the ball back. That was why they snapped the ball, not making it easier for Novak.

Not exactly. Yes they snapped the ball to run down the clock, but if they wanted to kill the clock, they would've been in a kneel-down set. But they weren't, they were in a 2-back set. Instead, he took the snap to line up the FG better. Mike Tirico even said they wanted a better FG position on the telecast (not that he's all know-all, but he's on top of things).

[Erik]

but if they wanted to kill the clock, they would've been in a kneel-down set.

Disagree. A kneel-down set means lost yardage. You don't do that when trying for a game-winning FG.

[Judge Jude]

In retrospect, I'm sure the Chargers would say that kneel-down/35-yarder was a better play than regular-set/32-yarder-fumble.

If they were 10 more yards further back, yes I'd have been reluctant to lose a couple of yards. But not in that spot.

[Hammer]

Disagree. A kneel-down set means lost yardage. You don't do that when trying for a game-winning FG.

there are many cases when you do exactly that. It happens all the time when teams get inside the 10 yard line at the end of a game.

[onejayhawk]

I went to bed when it went to overtime, but your Chiefs got an early Xmas gift. The Bolts had a 1st down on the Chiefs 15 yd line with under a minute to go and the score tied 20-20, but they got incredibly cocky and decided to snap the ball to move it an inch or two so Novak could have a straight shot (as if a 32-yd FG isn't easy enough for a pro kicker). But Rivers fumbled the snap and the Chiefs recovered! BWahahahahahahahaha!!! Then they lost, deservingly so, in OT.

If I were a Charger fan, I'd be fuming today. Man, GITH won't be too happy with this!

I thought Battle looked good -- he's a pretty big dude! He fell just short of a 35-yd TD scamper. I'm still very unimpressed with Cassel.

Cassell is the least of the regular starting QBs. By that I mean, everyone lower on the scale is either very inexperienced, an injury replacement, or Tebow. They paid for a solid caretaker, and that is what they got. Obviously, they hoped for more, but it has not turned out. He does all the little things rookies have to learn, but not much more. Next summer will be intersting, because Stanzi is in the house.

J