If there's one way in which offenses can still develop a lot around the NFL, it's plays with two or more passes. According to football rules, an offense can throw one forward pass per play, but any team can make unlimited backward throws — a legacy of football's origins in rugby.
Teams have executed with relative frequency plays in which the first throw is backwards, and then a non-quarterback throws it forward. But it's rare to see the first throw being forward, and then the initial receiver making another throw.
That's exactly what the Los Angeles Chargers did on Sunday Night Football. It hasn't been an easy season for the Chargers, and the team ended up losing to the Baltimore Ravens, but offensive coordinator Kellen Moore called a sweet play on 3rd & 17.
Beyond the schematic innovation that allowed a free lane for a conversion, the play is particularly smart because it put the ball in the hands of the three best offensive playmakers: Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen, and Austin Ekeler.
Ravens coach John Harbaugh challenged the play, allowing referees to see if the second pass was forward, and if Ekeler had indeed achieved the first-down line. But the second pass was backwards, and the Chargers converted it, renewing their downs.
Logic behind the call
The conversion rate on 3rd & 17 is pretty small. The most common options are a deep shot, which has a high risk too, or a screen to gain field position with a small chance for the offense to really get the first down.
With that playcall, Herbert made an easy throw to Keenan Allen. When the wide receiver catches the pass, the entire defense goes into his direction, including linebackers Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith. When Allen made the second throw, the defense was completely unprepared for it, allowing Ekeler to run for 15 extra yards.
Tough season
Even with the nice conversion, the Chargers lost 20-10, falling to 4-7. It's highly likely that the team will miss the postseason, and the coaching staff is under pressure. Head coach Brandon Staley is on the hot seat, and offensive coordinator Kellen Moore is a candidate for a promotion, or maybe to keep his current job under a new defensive-minded head coach — Dan Quinn would immediately come to mind in this scenario.
More must-reads: