HOW DID THAT HAPPEN?
Dec 7, 2020, 1:40 PM | Updated: 1:40 pm
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
Sunday, December 6 2020, will be a memorable day for many around the NFL.
Some will tell a story or two about the time the New England Patriots hung 45 points on the LA Chargers and shut them out even when Cam Netwon threw for just 69 yards.
Saints fans will reflect on another win without Drew Brees in which Taysom Hill threw his first touchdown since playing at BYU.
The post Matt Patricia era started with a Lions double digit 4th quarter comeback against rival Chicago. Aaron Rodgers reached 400 career touchdown passes faster than any quarterback in NFL history.
All that happened and the Browns are closing in on ending the longest active playoff drought in the NFL.
NONE of the these will hold up over time compared to what happened with the Las Vegas Raiders and the New York Jets.
The Miracle in the Meadowlands truly needed a bunch of things to go right for the Raiders on in this case go horribly wrong for the New York Jets.
When the Raiders failed on their 4th down attempt with 1:42 to play at the Jets 9 it sure looked like Las Vegas would have a crushing defeat while the Jets would get win number 1. After a quick 3 and a punt by the Jets, the Raiders had 1 last slim chance to steal a victory. With the ball at their own 39 yard line, zero timeouts, and a need to score a touchdown the odds were stacked against the silver and black.
A 15 yard strike to Waller and then a spike later to stop the clock the Raiders reached the Jets 46 with :19 to go. Then the Raiders took a shot and to everyone’s amazement it was open.
It was open because the Jets ran Cover 0 blitz. Man to man coverage, no safety help and Derek Carr missed a wide open Nelson Agholor. The Raiders missed their chance, the Jets got away with one and now Las Vegas had a 3rd and 10 with just :13 to go.
The Raiders set it up again and somehow someway the Jets did the exact same thing. On this play instead of throwing over the middle, Derek Carr looked left and found speedy rookie wide receiver Henry Ruggs III for the improbable win. Cover 0 Blitz again!
Again! I am the first one to defend coaches on decisions they make. We usually react strictly to the results of a play instead of the reason this play was called.
For example, how many times do we get mad a defensive coordinator for running prevent defenses? This defense usually back-fires. In this case Gregg Williams was aggressive, super aggressive, but it did not put the team in the best position to win. This decision cost him his job on Monday. Where was Adam Gase? The Head Coach should have the final say and could have literally called an audible to switch the defense. It is the only thing that mattered in that moment, Gase is responsible for everything that happens on that field and it was an epic fail all the way around.
So the Jets decision to bring the pressure was even more puzzling by the fact that they really didn’t bring EVERYONE. They had a linebacker/safety a few yards off the line of scrimmage playing the role of a spy.
A spy? For what, a 50 yard scramble by Derek Carr? The Jets butchered this play, the Raiders got away with one and for the two franchises it will not be forgotten. This could propel the Raiders into the post-season and for the Jets the carnage has already hit and will continue to damage over the next few weeks.
The Miracle in the Meadowlands will be remembered for a long time.
