Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce is facing heavy criticism for his late-game decision to punt during the team’s Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Down 16-10 with 7:15 left on the clock and facing a fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 43-yard line, Pierce chose to punt rather than go for the conversion. His decision drew ire from analysts, with Ted Nguyen of The Athletic calling it the worst coaching move of Week 1, adding that it “could be the worst decision anyone will make this season.”
Even quarterback Gardner Minshew questioned the choice, stating:
“I get that Pierce wanted to play the field position game, but the defense was tiring at that point.”
Pierce defended his decision by citing the Raiders’ earlier failures in short-yardage situations, but critics argue that the chance to convert was still higher than relying on their next drive.
According to ESPN analytics, the Raiders had a 19.1% chance of winning after the punt compared to 24.8% if they had gone for it. Ultimately, the Chargers capitalized when J.K. Dobbins broke away for a 61-yard touchdown, sealing the Raiders’ fate in Jim Harbaugh’s coaching debut.
