Josh McDaniels: A Tactical Decision-Making Approach to Late-Game Field Goals

In a pivotal moment during Sunday night’s game, Josh McDaniels, the head coach of the Raiders, faced a critical decision on fourth-and-4 from the Steelers’ 8-yard-line, with just over two minutes remaining. At this crucial juncture, the Steelers were ahead 23-15, and the Raiders had all three timeouts in their possession. The weighty choice was whether to attempt a field goal or go for a touchdown. McDaniels chose the field goal, narrowing the Pittsburgh lead to five points, with the hope that the Raiders’ defense would swiftly regain possession.

However, the outcome did not align with the initial strategy. The Steelers successfully converted a first down and subsequently punted the ball to the Raiders after three more plays. With only 12 seconds left on the clock and positioned at their own 15-yard-line, the Raiders’ hopes dwindled as Jimmy Garoppolo threw an interception on the ensuing play.

In the post-game analysis, McDaniels faced questions regarding whether the field goal attempt indicated a lack of confidence in the offense. He promptly responded, “You’re going to need another possession anyway, you know what I mean? So, it is not a lack of confidence… I did have confidence that we were playing well enough defensively and would have an opportunity to maybe get the ball back with two minutes to go and have an opportunity to go down there and take the lead.”

McDaniels further explained his decision by referencing a penalty on a previous field goal attempt with 3:15 left in the game. The Raiders had initially successfully converted this field goal, but it was nullified due to a leverage penalty called on the Steelers. ESPN’s analytics indicated that, at that juncture, it was a toss-up between attempting the kick or going for a first down. Various predictive models suggested that the Raiders had a better chance of securing victory had they opted to go for it instead of attempting the field goal for the second time.

Analyzing McDaniels’ Strategic Move

Josh McDaniels’ decision to attempt a late-game field goal was not a reflection of his lack of confidence in the Raiders’ offense. Instead, it was a calculated move aimed at maximizing their chances of winning the game.

By choosing to kick the field goal, McDaniels acknowledged the need for an additional possession, regardless of the outcome. This decision was grounded in a strategic understanding of game dynamics, where factors such as time and score dictated the optimal course of action. McDaniels believed that their defense was performing well enough to potentially secure the ball with two minutes remaining, providing an opportunity for the Raiders to march down the field and seize the lead.

Additionally, McDaniels referred to a prior field goal attempt that had been negated due to a penalty. This incident underscored the complexities of in-game decision-making, where factors such as penalties, field position, and clock management play pivotal roles. The subsequent analytics analysis revealed that, statistically, going for the first down might have yielded better odds, but in the heat of the moment, coaches often rely on their intuition and assessment of their team’s current performance.

Josh McDaniels’ choice to attempt a late-game field goal was a strategic move that considered various factors, and it was not indicative of a lack of confidence in the offense. Football decisions at this level are multifaceted and often require a delicate balance between analytics and on-field circumstances.