Los Angeles Chargers coach Brandon Staley would be having a much worse Monday if Cleveland Browns kicker Cade York converted what would have been a 54-yard game-winner Sunday.
The fact York missed the attempt and the Chargers escaped with a 30-28 Week 5 victory has allowed Staley to skate by relatively untouched despite his brain-shattering decision on fourth-and-1 from the LA 46-yard line. Staley, rather than punting on the Chargers’ half of the field, kept the offense on the field while possessing a mere two-point lead with 1:13 left. On the fourth-down call, Justin Herbert’s pass went incomplete, prompting Staley and Chargers fans to watch nervously for the next 70 seconds.
Chargers receiver Keenan Allen, who missed his fourth-straight game Sunday and was watching from home, was in a similar position. And the Pro Bowler, like so many others, couldn’t comprehend Staley’s decision-making.
“WTF are we doing?” Allen initially tweeted Sunday before deleting the post Monday afternoon.
After York’s missed field goal, Allen posted: “So glad he missed that. Cause man man man.”
Allen certainly was not in the minority when it came to critiquing Staley’s fourth-down decision, however, it’s fair to think the Chargers wideout might have landed in warm water when the organization saw his in-game tweet.
Staley and the Chargers return to action in Week 6 on “Monday Night Football” against the Denver Broncos.
