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Former NFL coach Jon Gruden says pass interference is 'biggest concern,' suggests cap on penalty yardage

20 December 2024 at 14:18

There are usually mixed reactions when NFL referees flag pass interference.

League policy does not include language to explain what constitutes pass interference, so it is still considered a judgment call. 

Jon Gruden, who coached the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to the franchise's first-ever Super Bowl title in 2002, weighed in on the often criticized rule. 

In the NFL, when officials call pass interference, the ball is placed at the spot of the foul. There have been instances where a pass interference call has resulted in a team benefiting from 25 or more penalty yards before the next snap.

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After admitting pass interference was one of his top worries for the NFL, Gruden suggested the league adopt a penalty similar to what college football enforces. Instead of placing the ball where the foul occurred, Gruden would prefer the ball only move 15 yards per penalty.

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"I would make it the college rule, honestly, because some of these pass interference calls are impacting the game, just one play there," Gruden said during a recent appearance on the "Pardon My Take" podcast. 

Gruden then brought up the subjective nature of the call. 

"I don’t think there’s a common thread in what is and what isn’t pass interference," he said. "I think this crew calls it a little different from that crew. That is a penalty right now that, I think, has taken over a lot of these games."

After the podcast co-host suggested an NFL quarterback could simply underthrow a ball and be rewarded with free yardage, Gruden argued pass interference should only be applied in situations where it was clear and "obvious" a foul was committed.

"Jerry Austin taught me that pass interference should call itself. We should all be sitting in a bar in Chicago and go, ‘That’s PI.' It should be a common, obvious pass interference. Otherwise, let these guys play. That's my feeling." 

In 2019, the league approved a proposal that made pass interference a reviewable play. The decision appeared to be a response to a controversial play in the 2018 season's NFC championship game. 

Referees did not call what many argued was pass interference during the NFC title game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints. The Rams defeated the Saints in overtime and advanced to the Super Bowl.

NFL teams' ability to review pass interference was scrapped in 2020.

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Falcons snap 4-game losing streak in much-needed win over Raiders

16 December 2024 at 20:37

The Atlanta Falcons' losing streak has finally come to an end, as Kirk Cousins & Co. picked up a much-needed win over the Las Vegas Raiders, 15-9, on Monday night. 

Atlanta moves to 7-7 on the year, which is massive considering the tight NFC South race at the moment. Meanwhile, the Raiders continue to fall at 2-12. 

It wasn't the prettiest of wins, but at this point in the season, with three games remaining after this one, a victory is a victory. 

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The Falcons’ offense didn’t see the breakout performance it might have wanted, but at least Cousins threw his first touchdown for the first time in five games. 

It was Drake London hauling in a 30-yard pass to get Atlanta on the board first, snapping a streak where Cousins had eight interceptions to zero touchdowns thrown. 

But it was the only time the Falcons were able to find the end zone, as many drives stalled in Raiders territory leading to field goal attempts from Younghoe Koo. 

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Koo was 2-of-3 on his attempts, but that would only make 13 points on offense. 

On defense, the Falcons were having their way with Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder, who was making the start against his former team in place of the injured Aidan O’Connell. 

As the Falcons stopped the run game – they allowed 65 total yards all game with Sincere McCormick ruled out with an injury early on – Ridders was forced to throw and he tossed an interception while being sacked three times. 

Atlanta was also able to make Alexander Mattison fumble, as they continued to make plays to flip the field.

But this game, though a slog, ultimately came down to the final play off Ridder’s hands as Las Vegas had the ball down six needing a touchdown and extra point to win it. 

Ridder threw two Hail Mary’s to the end zone, but the first one went incomplete and Falcons star safety Jessie Bates III was the recipient of the final one to secure the victory. 

So, on the stat sheet, Cousins was only 11-for-17 with 112 yards. He also threw another interception to go along with his touchdown. 

For the Falcons, the ground game was superior, with Bijan Robinson carrying it 22 times for 125 yards and Tyler Allgeier adding 43 yards on 12 carries. 

As for the Raiders, Jakobi Meyers was the leader in receiving yards with 59 to account for a big chunk of Ridder's 208 yards on 23-of-38 passing. Ameer Abdullah, the lone touchdown scorer for the Raiders, also had seven catches for 58 yards.

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Raiders defensive lineman Charles Snowden arrested for driving under the influence

12 December 2024 at 13:31

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden was arrested on Tuesday for driving under the influence.

The 26-year-old was charged with a misdemeanor after Las Vegas police responded to a report of a "suspicious" vehicle near a busy intersection southwest of the Las Vegas Strip, according to court records and police reports. Snowden was released without bail, per media reports.

The Raiders said in a statement they were in contact with both the league and police about the incident.

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The Raiders have had several players arrested on charges of driving under the influence since the team moved from Oakland to Las Vegas in 2020, most notably Henry Ruggs in 2021.

During his second season with the team, the first-round pick out of Alabama was driving at more than 150 mph when he crashed into another car, killing a woman and her dog. He received a sentence of three to 10 years in prison after his guilty plea to felony DUI and other charges.

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The Raiders released reserve defensive safety Roderic Teamer in November 2023 after his arrest in Las Vegas on misdemeanor driving under the influence and speeding charges. Records show Teamer pleaded no contest in July to reckless driving, paid $1,000 in fines and fees, and other charges against him were dismissed.

It was not immediately clear if Snowden’s arrest would affect his status with the team. The Raiders next play on Monday when they host the Atlanta Falcons in Las Vegas.

Snowden has played in all 13 games for the Raiders this season, starting in seven of them, after playing in just two games for the Chicago Bears in 2021 and not playing an NFL snap since.

Snowden is due in court on April 15.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Raiders owner Mark Davis offers telling response to speculation about Antonio Pierce’s future

12 December 2024 at 09:00

Las Vegas Raiders owner Mark Davis isn’t making any midseason decisions despite his frustrations with the team's 2-11 record, and that includes whether first-year head coach Antonio Pierce will return next season. 

At the annual NFL league meetings on Wednesday, Davis declined to comment specifically on whether Pierce, who is in his first year as a head coach after serving as the interim coach last season, will return for the 2025 season. 

"I don’t even want to talk about that right now," Davis said, via The Athletic. "We’re still playing through the season."

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Opting away from a vote of confidence is telling. 

While Pierce is only in his first full year as an NFL coach, he’s been with the organization since 2022. Last season, he took over as interim head coach in October after Josh McDaniels was fired. He immediately came in an attempt to change the landscape, benching Jimmy Garoppolo in favor of Aidan O’Connell. 

The Raiders finished that season second in their division and Pierce managed a 5-4 record. He was named the team’s new head coach earlier this year, but the Raiders have struggled under his tenure and are 2-11 on a nine-game losing streak. 

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But Davis said Wednesday that the blame for this season also lies on him – that is, for hiring those decision makers. 

"I’m very disappointed, obviously. I want to see progress," he said, via The Athletic. "There’s no excuses. We have injuries and all of those things, but your team has to figure out how to get around those issues. The bottom line … is it comes down to me. And, if there’s going to be a finger pointed, it should be at me, because, again, I’m the one who’s hiring the people who make the decisions on the field."

Davis added that it's a "misconception" that he makes decisions on the field.

"I delegate to the people who I hire. I give them goals. And then I get out of the way and let them try to do it and let the results speak for themselves. At this point, obviously, we’re not happy, but you have to go through the season and then we’ll re-evaluate. Right now, I’m not in that position of evaluating anything going forward."

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Raiders star Maxx Crosby rooting for Ohio State failure so Buckeyes will sack Ryan Day: ‘They’re cooked’

5 December 2024 at 09:29

Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby has entered the Ohio State-Michigan chat. 

The NFL superstar, a self-proclaimed Buckeyes fan, is hoping that the program will move on from head coach Ryan Day after a disastrous fourth straight loss to rival Michigan that erupted into chaos on Saturday after the Wolverines planted their flag at midfield. 

"I don't want to hear the name RD (Ryan Day) ever again," Crosby said on his podcast "The Rush," referring to Day. "Bring Urban [Meyer] back. Bring Urban back – I'm not watching a game again until Urban Meyer is the head coach of the team. I refuse."

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Crosby, who grew up in Michigan and played at Eastern Michigan, said he grew up supporting Ohio State, but after a 13-10 loss to the Wolverines, he isn’t rooting for his team to bring home the national title. 

"They’re cooked," he said. "I hope they fail. I want them to lose so Day gets fired, sorry." 

Crosby reiterated his desire to "bring Urban back," adding that while Day is a "good guy," Meyer is exactly what the Buckeyes need. 

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"He’ll f---ing verbally assault you, but he’s f---ing get your guys ready to go win." 

Ohio State was favored by 21 points over an unranked Michigan. But a shocking loss knocked Ohio State out of the Big Ten title game, and calls to fire Day almost immediately followed the final whistle. 

Speaking to reporters this week, Day said he was "in shock" after the loss, but winning a national championship could save his job. 

"We got an opportunity to go win the national championship and, you know, everybody, around here has been very supportive on that, focusing on that," he said. "And that’s really what it is. And I know what the job is. I know where the focus needs to be. And there hasn't been a ton of communication other than that."

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Raiders' Antonio Pierce says team 'heard a whistle' ahead of game-deciding botched snap in loss to Chiefs

30 November 2024 at 19:15

Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce is speaking out just over 24 hours after his team suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday.

Pierce, who is in his first full season as the Raiders head coach, told members of the media that the Raiders believed referees had blown a whistle moments before the ill-fated fumble on the poorly timed snap. In the case of a whistle, the play in question would have been ruled dead.

Pierce also noted that the Raiders intend to submit video evidence in support of the claim to the NFL office for further review.

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After the Raiders defense forced the Chiefs to punt with just over two minutes remaining in the game, Las Vegas quickly managed to get in position to attempt a game-winning field goal. But the Raiders had a costly miscue on third down from the Kansas City 38-yard line with just 15 seconds remaining.

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The Raiders center prematurely snapped the ball as quarterback Aidan O'Connell surveyed the Chiefs defense. The ball bounced off O'Connell and onto the turf. The Raiders signal caller was not able to corral the botched snap, and it was recovered by the Chiefs. 

Referees did throw a flag on the play and penalized the Raiders for an illegal shift, but Kansas City decided to decline the penalty since they recovered the fumble. The NFL did stipulate that a false start would have been assessed if the clock was running at the time of the mishandled snap.

Patrick Mahomes then took a knee to allow the final seconds to tick off the clock.

O'Connell shouldered the blame for the mishap on the crucial play.

"It's completely my fault," the second-year said. "I was looking out to the right to make sure the guys were set, and I started clapping. In my head I was thinking, signal the ball to get the ball, but when I start clapping, it tells Jackson to basically snap the ball. Jackson did exactly what he should have done, and I clapped too early.

"... Super tough, but there's really no one to blame but myself. So, that's probably the hardest part to swallow."

The win over the Raiders clinched a playoff spot for the Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Raiders will try and regroup when they travel to Tampa Bay next week for a matchup against the Buccaneers.

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Chiefs narrowly escape another lowly opponent with bizarre ending against Raiders to clinch playoff spot

29 November 2024 at 16:11

It doesn't always look pretty for the Kansas City Chiefs, but they somehow found a way to get it done again.

After squandering a 13-point lead, the Chiefs managed to squeak by the Las Vegas Raiders, 19-17, on Black Friday.

Less than a week after needing a field goal as time expired to beat the three-win Carolina Panthers, the Chiefs took Friday's victory in bizarre fashion.

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Down by two with no timeouts after the two-minute warning, the Raiders got inside field goal range quickly. However, with 15 seconds left, rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball too early, and the Chiefs recovered. 

The Raiders argued it was a false start, which would have negated the fumble. But referees ruled it an illegal shift, and the Chiefs declined the penalty, giving them the ball and the win.

The Chiefs were up 16-3 toward the end of the third quarter, but the Raiders never gave up. Aidan O’Connell hit Brock Bowers for a 33-yard touchdown, and, after forcing a three-and-out, O’Connell  hit Tre Tucker for a 58-yard score. The PAT gave them a 17-16 lead early in the fourth.

Kansas City answered with its fourth field goal of the game to regain the lead, but in the closing minutes, the Raiders were moving the ball again. On 4th and 11 with 2:21 left, the Raiders went for a 58-yard field goal, but it was no good.

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The Chiefs, though, gave Las Vegas the ball back after the two-minute warning after throwing the ball on 3rd and 2 with the Raiders out of timeouts. The Raiders marched, though, getting inside the 40-yard line quickly.

With a touchdown pass to Justin Watson, Patrick Mahomes became the Chiefs' all-time leader in touchdown passes, surpassing legend Len Dawson. Mahomes now has 238 passing touchdowns in just under seven full seasons.

The victory clinched a playoff spot for the Chiefs, who will play postseason football a 10th straight season. They improved to 11-1, tying the Detroit Lions for the best record in football.

While Chiefs kicker Matthew Wright went 4-for-4 on kicks, the Raiders' Daniel Carlson missed three of his, all from well over 50 yards. It was also the ninth one-possession victory for Kansas City this year.

The Raiders dropped to 2-10 and have been eliminated from playoff contention, joining the New York Giants.

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Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce calls Black Friday game with Chiefs 'best team in football vs. worst team'

27 November 2024 at 15:29

The Las Vegas Raiders are big underdogs against the Kansas City Chiefs, and understandably so.

The Chiefs have not looked like the traditional NFL power they've been in recent years, but they are 10-1 as the back-to-back reigning Super Bowl champions.

The Raiders, meanwhile, are going with Aidan O'Connell at quarterback and are in the hunt for the No. 1 pick in the draft with a 2-9 record, tied for the worst in the league.

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With odds not in his favor, Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was brutally honest about the matchup.

"Let’s call a spade a spade — best team in football against the worst team in football," he told reporters Wednesday.

"Let’s change the narrative. Let’s go out there and make it a dogfight. Let’s make it ugly, let’s make it scrappy. It’s Black Friday. Let’s create a little chaos and get back to Raider football and have some personality and let it loose."

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The Raiders went 2-0 against the Chiefs last year, including a surprising victory at Arrowhead Christmas Day. That, apparently, was a blessing in disguise for Kansas City, because the Chiefs ran the table after that loss.

Earlier this year, the two teams met in Vegas, and the Chiefs returned home with a 27-20 victory.

The Action Network has the Chiefs as 7.5-point favorites.

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