Raiders' Pete Carroll shares defiant message about controversial field-goal decision in loss to Broncos

One of the weirder NFL-related moments of the first Sunday of December involved Las Vegas Raiders head coach Pete Carroll electing to kick a field goal when his team trailed the rival Denver Broncos by 10 points with five seconds remaining in the game's fourth quarter. 

While speaking with reporters on Monday, Carroll sent a strong message to those who have offered hot takes about his decision. 

Pete Carroll won't let public opinion impact his decisions 

"I can't bend and twist and go with whatever the public sentiment is, or one person's sentiment for that matter, regardless of who it is," Carroll said, per Ryan McFadden of ESPN. "I just can't do that and do my job the right way to the best of my ability."

Daniel Carlson ultimately made his 46-yard kick as time expired to make the final score of 24-17. The Raiders entered the game as 7.5-point betting underdogs, while the over/under was listed at 40.5. Thus, Carroll's call upset pockets of observers and also delighted others who cashed in due to the kick that was meaningless as it pertained to the contest's outcome. 

Why Pete Carroll kicked the field goal vs. the Broncos

Denver's Brandon Jones was correctly flagged for a delay-of-game penalty for not allowing Raiders wide receiver Tyler Lockett to get up following what should have been the final play of the contest. According to Mark Anderson of The Associated Press, Carroll was hoping to get more time added to the clock after that penalty was enforced so the Raiders could kick a field goal and then attempt an onside kick. 

Barring a penalty, an onside kick would've run the clock out. 

"I knew it was going to look stupid, like you couldn't figure out why we were doing it," Carroll added about his decision. "...But there was a clear thought of what we were trying to get down there, just to take it down to the very last click. That might not be good enough for you, I understand that, but I think you can see what we were trying to do, but it just didn't work out."

Carroll was the subject of some hot-seat rumors even before the Raiders fell to 2-11. Things will get no easier for Las Vegas in Week 15, as the last-place club will next play at the Philadelphia Eagles (8-5) this coming Sunday. 

As of Tuesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had the Raiders as 12.5-point underdogs for that game.