Todd Downing Explains Why The Raiders Didn’t Give The Ball To Lynch On The Goalline

If there was a questionable play call on Sunday in Tennessee, it was the decision to throw the ball three times consecutively from the Titans two yard-line.

Why didn’t the Raiders just hand the ball to Marshawn Lynch? Offensive coordinator Todd Downing addressed that question on Thursday.

“I certainly look at every play call and wonder if that’s the best position I could have put the offense in to have success and I look at that whether it’s third and goal on the two or the first play of the game,” Downing told reporters on Thursday. “That whole sequence, I won’t reveal too much with you, but there were certainly thoughts to run the ball there. What they did defensively kind of changed our approach and we had some built-ins because of that.”

Basically, it sounds like the coaches incorporated the sequence to Cooper in advance of the game. If the Titans gave a particular look, the Raiders were going to check to a pass. The Titans gave a look three times and the Raiders threw to Cooper three times.

It wasn’t a bad plan. We know at least one other team would have done it.

twitter: @raidersbeat

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15 thoughts on “Todd Downing Explains Why The Raiders Didn’t Give The Ball To Lynch On The Goalline

  1. No plan survives first contact. It’s that way in war and apparently football. So now coach knows better. The Raider O-line is big and bad enough to dictate what happens from the two. I believe next time no. 24 will get the ball. And the RD.
    Lesson learned. Next!

    1. Speaking of the Running Game…….George Atkinson III is needed to balance the running game. He will give the Raiders an edge that will in turn catapult the Raiders to victory! Coach Bring him BACK!!!

  2. It’s not like the plays didn’t work. Cooper just dropped the ball. Can’t blame the play caller on those plays, all blame goes to Cooper.

  3. Really the only questionable calls all game. He’s going to be a great coach some day. And besides, Cooper has to make those catches.

    1. Derek Carr was trolling Seahawks for not handing the ball to the Beast and the Raiders do the same thing.

  4. It’s still the first game and we won anyway. Rather than getting one dimensional, let other teams wonder which weapon we’ll use while we improve our execution.

  5. That’s what separates the patriots. Not toying around trying to trick someone.
    They gave the ball to they’re big back in red zone and came away with three td’s.

  6. No doubt they should’ve ran the ball in that situation regardless of what the defense was showing but Coop should’ve made at least one of those catches too. 🤔

  7. Remember when Rich Gannon threw the ball like 100 times in a row against Pittsburgh’s tough run defense and we won the game in route to the SB? Goes to show just trust your eyes, as in the previous play when Beastmode got the unbelievable 1st down – not your scripted game plan.
    That game should have not been that close.

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