Rich Bisaccia Admits Raiders Were Thinking About Playing For Tie Before Chargers Timeout

Despite a tumultuous season filled with off the field distractions, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia has the Raiders in the postseason.

The winner-take-all game against the Chargers fell in the Raiders’ favor when kicker Daniel Carlson drilled a game-winner in OT. But there was another option. If the game would have resulted in a tie, both the Chargers and Raiders would have made the postseason.

After the game, Rich Bisaccia admitted that he was thinking about running out the clock prior to the Chargers using a timeout late.

“Then we had the big run through there. And when we got the big run and got us in what we thought was advantageous field goal position for us, we were going to take the field goal and try to win,” Bisaccia said. “But we were certainly talking about it on the sideline.

We wanted to see if they were going to call a timeout or not on that run. They didn’t, so we thought they’re thinking the same thing. And then we popped a run in there and gave us a chance to kick the field goal and win it. So we were certainly talking about it.”

#Raiders coach Rich Bisaccia openly admits Las Vegas was considering to just run the clock out to tie it.

They to see if the #Chargers will call a timeout….pic.twitter.com/dMzgflWnHV

— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) January 10, 2022

Fans were also quick to point out that it appeared a member of the Raiders admitted to Chargers running back Austin Ekeler that the plan was to run out the clock – which would have put both teams in the playoffs.

It really looks like this is Austin Ekeler being told that as well. Look at his reaction to something he heard pic.twitter.com/4hkdg9He8g

— Real Super Dave (@SuperStatsDave) January 10, 2022

Chargers head coach Brandon Staley spoke on the decision to stop the clock late during the Raiders drive.

“We felt like they were going to run the ball, so we wanted to get our best 11 personnel run defense in, make that substitution so that we could get a play where we were deep in the field goal (range),” Staley said.

We’ll ever know how the end of the game would have shaked out if Brandon Staley never calls his timeout. But Chargers fans will undoubtedly be left wondering…what if?

Now, Rich Bisaccia and the Raiders will take their underdog story to Wild Card Weekend – where they have a date against the Cincinnati Bengals.

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