The Las Vegas Raiders defeated the New York Jets 31-28 on Sunday afternoon.
Up 28-24 with less than a minute remaining in the outing, New York punted the ball away to the Raiders. Las Vegas started off at their own 39-yard line with 42 seconds left and zero timeouts.
First quarterback Derek Carr delivered a 15-yard strike to tight end Darren Waller, who subsequently spiked the ball. Then came an incomplete pass, which halted the proceedings. Finally, Carr found wide open rookie receiver Henry Ruggs to take a 30-28 lead.
One extra point later and the Raiders found themselves walking off the field with a 31-28 victory.
DEREK CARR TO HENRY RUGGS FOR THE LEAD đ±
(via @Raiders)pic.twitter.com/x76T8mzZHX
â SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 6, 2020
During the CBS postgame broadcast, Boomer Esiason openly wondered if the Jets had tried to lose the game based on how the defense played Ruggs.
âI have a headache thinking about this,â he said. âThe fact that [Jets defensive end] Gregg Williams would play that coverage in that situation? Itâs almost like the Jets drew that up to lose the game.â
Esiason didnât stop there.
âIf Iâm at the line of scrimmage, and I look out there and see man coverage, Iâd be shocked,â he continued. âWhy?
âThatâs why they havenât won a game: bad coaching decisions,â Phil Simms offered.
âAmazing,â Esiason replied. âThe Raidersâ MVP is Gregg Williams.â
Former NFL linebacker Emmanuel Acho echoed that sentiment and took it one step further.
âIâm not a conspiracy theorist, but watch this and tell me the Jets werenât trying to lose this game,â he tweeted out. âCover 0, with 13 seconds left [and] you spy Derek Carr like heâs Mike Vick in his prime?â
Iâm not a conspiracy theorist, but watch this and tell me the #Jets werenât trying to lose this game.
Cover 0, with 13 seconds left & you spy Derek Carr like heâs Mike Vick in his prime?? pic.twitter.com/FR53RF1sxU
â Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 6, 2020
While nobody will ever know for certain whether the Jets threw that game, itâs hard to argue with the fact that they stood to gain far more in defeat than in victory.
New York is currently 0-12 and in a battle to the death with the Jacksonville Jaguars for possession of the top overall in pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Alabama went after Coach O hard after the game. https://t.co/SUduHNyY5I
â Game 7 (@game7__) December 6, 2020
Is Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence worth purposely losing an NFL game for? Itâs certainly looking like the answer is yes.
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A graduate from the University of Texas, Anthony Amador has been credentialed to cover the Houston Texans, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks and high school games all over the Lone Star State. Currently, his primary beats are the NBA, MLB, NFL and UFC.
