Klint Kubiak’s Rookie Mistakes are Hurting the Raiders

In the final seconds of the third quarter on Sunday, Klint Kubiak threw his red challenge flag onto the field. He was trying to save the Raiders from a third and 10. But even if the replay review went his way, Las Vegas would still be facing a third and seven. 

He lost the challenge and a timeout in a game the Raiders lost by one possession. 

It was a complete misunderstanding of the risk and reward of a challenge. Kubiak threw away a timeout – a way to save 40 seconds at the end of a close game – for the chance at three yards. After the game, Kubiak acknowledged that it was a mistake. 

“Looking back, for a 2 or 3 yard gain or whatever it would have been? Probably not worth it,” Kubiak said 

However, this isn’t the first time that Kubiak has made a blatantly wrong decision in a challenge situation. In Week 2, with the Raiders leading the Chargers by three in the fourth quarter, Justin Herbert fumbled on a third and seven. The Chargers recovered to set up a fourth and one. 

But on review, Herbert appeared to have his hand on the ball while moving forward, and Kubiak could have challenged to change the ruling to an incomplete pass, giving Los Angeles a fourth and seven.

Not only did Kubiak not challenge the play, he ended up calling a timeout before the Chargers’ fourth-down play. If he was willing to burn a timeout, he may as well have thrown the challenge flag to try to save his defense six yards. 

Out of the timeout, the Raiders had 12 defensive players on the field and gave the Chargers a free first down to continue the disaster coaching situation on the Las Vegas sideline. 

Kubiak and the Raiders were bailed out one play later when Nakobe Dean forced an Omarion Hampton fumble. Kirk Cousins took the offense in for a touchdown on the ensuing drive to seal up a victory. 

But through six games, Kubiak has botched two challenge situations. 

Kubiak is in his first season as a head coach. There are expected growing pains. The real issue comes from the staff around Kubiak. He is not making these decisions on his own – or at least he shouldn’t be. Other members of the coaching staff should be advising Kubiak on when he should challenge a play. 

Fourth Down Decisions 

Kubiak also made a critical fourth-down mistake on Sunday. The Raiders trailed the Bills by 10 points early in the fourth quarter. Las Vegas drove inside the Bills’ five-yard line before facing a fourth and goal from the four. 

Instead of trying to put a touchdown on the board, Kubiak sent out Matt Gay for a 23-yard field goal. Gay made the kick, but Kubiak made the wrong decision. 

According to ESPN’s fourth-down model, Kubiak reduced the Raiders’ chance to win by 4.5 percent. In a game the Raiders lost by three points, Kubiak’s timid choice may have cost his team four extra points. 

Las Vegas has failed to hire good coaching staffs for years. Kubiak has looked solid through his first six games, but there are still obvious flaws.