The time outs at the end of the game

[Susquehanna Birder]

Sorry if this was already brought up, but I'm unable to sift through it all.

Has anybody adequately explained why Chip did the Chargers a favor by stopping the clock for them?

[TROGDOR]

My personal opinion -

I think at that point the chargers were on the 30, so percentage-wise the game was in hand for the Chargers. Using those time-outs made the Chargers either run another play or 2 (anything can happen right? I mean Gates fumbled for the first time in 4 years) or kick the FG early leaving a few ticks left to try some weirdness going the other way.

In the realm of dumb shit that happened yesterday, that's prob not even in my top 10.

[RSE]

I guess everyone is presuming that Chip wanted to make them kick with enough time to get the ball back however briefly.

[Greenstealth]

Because the chargers would have ran the clock down

Sorry if this was already brought up, but I'm unable to sift through it all.

Has anybody adequately explained why Chip did the Chargers a favor by stopping the clock for them?

To nothing and kicked. I have a.bigger problem with them snapping the ball with 20 seconds on the play clock in that last drive saving time for San Diego. Hopefully he learns.

[AnnapolisEagle]

Sorry if this was already brought up, but I'm unable to sift through it all.

Has anybody adequately explained why Chip did the Chargers a favor by stopping the clock for them?

Forcing them to run plays does a couple things: gives you a chance to push them back or force a fumble and keeps time on the clock if they miss the kick, you block it or they botch the snap (teams will sometimes kick on 3rd down so they have a do-over in case of a bad snap).

You do run the risk of them getting an easier kick by picking up a few yards, but the plays the offense will run in that situation are probably the most predictable in football.

That didn't bother me...in fact, I though it had a certain interesting logic. Kelly did foul up the game management when he had the ball on the last offensive drive, though.

-AE

[Susquehanna Birder]

Thanks, all. I didn't see it as especially good or bad at the time, but it was a little bit of a head scratcher. I would have rather seen them run the clock down when they had the chance, rather than resorting to desperation calls.