Coming into today, the Sunday Night matchup between the Chargers and Raiders in Las Vegas was being billed as a winner-takes-all game with the winner continuing their season past Week 18. While that is still technically a true statement, it’s not the only path for either team to make the playoffs.
With the Colts’ loss to the Jaguars this afternoon and the Steelers’ win in Baltimore, an amusing possibility has been presented to both squads preparing for tonight. If Sunday night’s game were to end in a tie, both the Chargers and the Raiders would make the playoffs. While there are seeding scenarios at play for the Raiders (a win could put them at the 5th or 6th Seed, potentially, and a tie would clinch the 7th seed), the Chargers have no motivation to play the game if the Raiders were to propose an intentional tie.
While Los Angeles head coach Brandon Staley said earlier this week, “We’re going to do everything we can to go win this game,” that was when the tying scenario was a long shot, as the Colts were heavy favorites to beat Jacksonville today. Staley’s tune might change now that he has a very real opportunity to give his team a week of rest before a grueling playoff schedule.
As far as the rulebook goes, there’s nothing that says two teams can’t intentionally play an entire game for a tie. I’m sure the NFL is doing everything they can to get themselves out of the corner they backed themselves into, but it was a truly strange decision for the NFL to schedule a game with this potential in the final regular season time slot. The NFL certainly likes for the regular season’s final game to hold the highest stakes, and we’ve seen some of the most entertaining games in that time slot. The 2019 regular season finale between the 49ers and Seahawks comes to mind, as San Francisco won with a fourth down stop on their own 1-yard line.
It’s certain the NFL was hoping for similar fireworks tonight, but an implosion by the Colts and the battling of the Steelers brings up what could be one of the most unique season finales in NFL history.
This game is essentially a playoff game and the rules should be modified so that play continues until there is an outright winner.
Just because its week 18 doesn’t mean the rules should change.
Th NFL should go back to the sudden death OT and play until there is a winner. This situation would have been avoided if the Steelers and Lions played through.
I think they should go back to sudden death OT too. I still consider that 1971 playoff game between the Dolphins and Chiefs to be the all time classic (even though the wrong team won).
Maybe they should referee the 4th quarter different from the first 3 quarters too then!
The officials have been doing that for decades. The number of games they have manipulated with bad late game calls are too numerous to list.
That’s not a thing that would ever happen for one game.
So how would you intentionally tie? Just kneel down every play?
I would punt on 1st down.
I would be pissed if I paid to watch that game and the players just phoned it in.
No you wouldn’t. Especially if it means your team makes the playoffs
Gotta make it look real. Agree to get to the 50. Then run run run punt. Cant make it too obvious
I’d love to see them do 60 minutes of knees.
Some players have performance bonuses in their contract so I don’t think the knee approach would appeal to them.
Isn’t that what Carl said?
How it should go and either team or fan base should be happy with it… Kneel, Kneel, Kneel, Punt (Fair catch)…. Make it the fastest game in NFL history and live to see the playoffs!
Obviously neither team will try to tie. but if the game just happens to go to OT, watch out
this would be great. would also be funny to see fans mad at their team in spite of making the playoffs by tying.
What’s lost on all these dreamers is that winning this game doesn’t just put you in the playoffs. It knocks out your rival. Let’s go Raiders!
I was thinking about this earlier that what if they had a mutual agreement to tie so they both get in. But for the integrity of the game not such a good look.