Raiders HC already made one of season's worst decisions

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce. Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Raiders HC Antonio Pierce already made one of the worst decisions of the NFL season

By Adam Gretz | Last updated Sep 9, 2024 8:46 PM ET

It might only be the first week of the 2024 NFL campaign, but Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce seems to have already made one of the worst in-game decisions of the season in their 22-10 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.

With the Raiders trailing the Chargers, 16-10, with seven minutes to play in the fourth quarter, they were faced with a fourth-and-1 situation at the Chargers' 43-yard line.

Given the score of the game, the time remaining and the down and distance, it seemed like an obvious situation for the Raiders to go for it.

They did not go for it.

Instead of trying to keep their offense on the field and drive for a potential go-ahead touchdown, Pierce and the Raiders decided to punt the ball back to Justin Herbert and the Chargers offense. It was a dreadful decision that almost immediately backfired.

The Chargers responded by driving 92 yards in only eight plays to extend their lead and make it a two-possession game.

Statistically speaking, it was one of the worst punt decisions the NFL has seen in more than two decades.

LV decided to punt to LAC from the LAC 43 on 4th & 1 with 7:15 remaining in the 4th while losing 10 to 16.

With a Surrender Index of 131.72, this punt ranks at the 100th percentile of cowardly punts of the 2024 season, and the 99.9th percentile of all punts since 1999.
— Surrender Index 90 (@surrender_idx90) September 8, 2024

This might not have been the only reason the Raiders lost. They still only scored 10 points and did not make anywhere near enough plays. But it did rob them of what might have been their best chance to keep driving to potentially take the lead.

It is the type of overly conservative decision that simply can not happen in that big of a spot with the game on the line.

The Raiders never touched the football again with a chance to take the lead. They had their chance. They punted it away.

Adam Gretz

Adam Gretz is a freelance writer based in Pittsburgh. He covers the NHL, NFL, MLB and NBA. Baseball is his favorite sport -- he is nearly halfway through his goal of seeing a game in every MLB ballpark. Catch him on Twitter @AGretz

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