Week 18 Bolts @ Raiders Final - Pre Game Discussion

[Bolt4Knob]

All this silly talk about playing for a tie reminds me of some posters suggesting "losing out" to get a top draft pick...sorry, doesn't work that way...teams play to win...unless u r the 1919 Black Sox...and even then, not everyone on the team was in on the fix...

Its more just pointing out the fact that if the Chargers tie the Raiders - they get into the playoffs. Thats a statement of fact. Nothing else.

Chargers need to put a fifty burger on Raid-turds, channel their inner Marty Schottenheimer this damn week!

[Bolt-O]

Now, let's assume the Colts beat the Jaguars. What happens then if the Chargers and Raiders legitimately tie? Who gets in and who doesn't?

Colts and Chargers (#7) are in, Bills or Pats are the other Wild Card, Bills clinch AFCE with a win.

http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/machine/_/factor/wins/results/401326586~1~401326592~3~401326587~2~401326600~3

[Velo]

Its more just pointing out the fact that if the Chargers tie the Raiders - they get into the playoffs. Thats a statement of fact. Nothing else.

Chargers need to put a fifty burger on Raid-turds, channel their inner Marty Schottenheimer this damn week!

That's only true if the Colts lose to the Jaguars and some other things happen. If the Colts beat the Jags and the Chargers and Raiders tie, I believe the Chargers get in and not the Raiders. In that scenario, the Colts would get the No. 6 seed, and the Chargers, Raiders, and possibly the Steelers, would be tied at 9-7-1. I think the Chargers get in because they have a victory over the Raiders and Steelers in the regular season.

[Velo]

I feel fairly confident about this game because Herbert always plays the Raiders well, and he plays well on Prime Time. In his first game against the Raiders last season, Herbert came within a drop by Donald Parham on the final play of the game of beating the Raiders. In game 2 against the Raiders at Allegiant Stadium Herbert beat the Raiders in OT on the last play of the game by scoring on a QB sneak. That game was in Prime Time (TNF). The 3rd time Herbert played the Raiders, earlier this season, Herbert built up a 21 point lead and went on to win the game by two TDs. He threw three TD passes in that game with no picks, with a rating of 107.6. This game was also in Prime Time (MNF).

Hebert is 2-0 against the Raiders in Prime Time.
Herbert is undefeated at Allegiant Stadium.
Herbert plays really well in Prime Time. Against the Steelers on SNF, he completed 73% of his passes for 382 yds, 3 TDs, 90 yds rushing, 116.1 rating, 41 pts.
If Herbert beats the Raiders again Sunday to go 3-1 against them, can we say Herbert owns the Raiders like Rodgers own the Bears?

One other thing about this game. If the Colts beat the Jaguars next week, the scenario where both the Chargers and Raiders both get in if they tie goes out the window. But, I believe the Chargers would still get in if they do legitimately tie the Raiders, and the Raiders would be eliminated. The Colts would clinch the No. 6 seed by beating Jax. With a Chargers tie against the Raiders on SNF, both teams would have 9-7-1 records, but the Chargers own the tie-breaker by virtue of beating the Raiders in Week 4. The Steelers could also be 9-7-1, but, again, the Chargers own a tie-breaker over Pittsburgh by virtue of beating the Steelers in Week 11. So, assuming the Colts beat Jax (which is a pretty safe assumption), the Chargers would get in the playoffs with a win or tie over the Raiders, while the Raiders must win.

[foreigner]

I don't like the tie option but it's an option... I'l take it.. but still.. we have no chance with Telesco's Roster... just frigging "falling in my lap home run talent...." only a few are product of his scouting/GM work. Fire Telesco now!

[sonorajim]

So you mean all of the piss, vinegar and vitriol we have been reading by the truckload is just a precursor to what we might get???? Oh joy.............

I'll be interested in how we play the game. An L means we lost when we started with superior talent. Either several players get injured, make stupid mistakes or the coaches go brain dead.
The 2021 Chargers have one of the best rosters they have had since early Coryell years and are mostly healthy.

[sonorajim]

I don't like the tie option but it's an option... I'l take it.. but still.. we have no chance with Telesco's Roster... just frigging "falling in my lap home run talent...." only a few are product of his scouting/GM work. Fire Telesco now!

TT just being lucky works for me.
However, getting better with experience and having an improved coaching staff input as well as luck would be my guess for the level of quality talent on the 2021 roster.
The 2021 OL moves were a huge upgrade. Not to mention Andre Roberts.
This is a very good Chargers team with an elite QB, LT, DE/Edge.
Not too shabby IMO.

[Topcat]

I don't like the tie option but it's an option... I'l take it.. but still.. we have no chance with Telesco's Roster... just frigging "falling in my lap home run talent...." only a few are product of his scouting/GM work. Fire Telesco now!

You're as cold as ice, Foreigner...at LEAST wait until the end of the season...

[ghost]

[Bolts318]

As a Chargers fan, I believe the old cliche' "they control their own destiny" should never be applied to this team. It never works. What worries me is the Raiders have really played themselves into this spot by winning recently whereas the Chargers have "stumbled" into this position. A couple of former NFL players on ESPN radio have mentioned this as well. One of them, can't recall who, said he thinks the Raiders will win easy and even quipped that the fans in Los Angeles may be happier if the Raiders win. Can't argue that one.

[ghost]

[Velo]

As a Chargers fan, I believe the old cliche' "they control their own destiny" should never be applied to this team. It never works. What worries me is the Raiders have really played themselves into this spot by winning whereas the Chargers have "stumbled" into this position. A couple of former NFL players on ESPN radio have mentioned this as well. One of them, can't recall who, said he thinks the Raiders will win easy and even quipped that the fans in Los Angeles may be happier if the Raiders win. Can't argue that one.

This is bunk. The Raiders have won three straight by barely beating the Browns with Nick Mullens at QB while half of Cleveland's starting roster was on the COVID list. Then the Raiders barely squeaked by the Broncos at home, only scoring 17 pts. Then they barely beat the Colts, with Carson Wentz at QB, who didn't play well and missed practice all week while on the COVID list. I watched the Raiders-Colts. Neither team looked good. The Raiders just played slightly less bad. But I'm glad the Raiders are riding high and think highly of themselves and listening to the press that is praising them. They were riding high in Week 4 after starting 3-0, thinking they were hot shiite, and the Chargers smacked them down. I look forward to a repeat.