NFL Twitter Goes Wild as Raiders and Chargers Flirt With Chaotic Tie

The final game of the NFL’s regular season was a wild one, with the Raiders and Chargers flirting with a tie that would have eliminated the Steelers from the postseason.

If you have a Steelers fan in your life, do them a favor and check in.

Sunday was a roller coaster of emotions for the Black and Yellow, culminating in one of the wildest regular season games in recent memory on Sunday night. With the Colts losing to the Jaguars and Pittsburgh beating the Ravens, all the Steelers needed to ensure a spot in the playoffs was for the primetime matchup between the Raiders and Chargers to not end in a tie.

It looked like that was exactly what may happen after Los Angeles erased a 15-point deficit in the final five minutes of regulation to force overtime, where the teams traded field goals. But with Las Vegas running the ball on its final possession, seemingly content to run out the clock to get both teams in the playoffs, Chargers coach Brandon Staley called a timeout with just over 40 seconds left. The Raiders proceeded to run for another first down, call a timeout of their own and kick a game-winning field goal to eliminate their AFC West rivals in heartbreaking fashion.

Athletes, media members and fans alike were in awe at the dramatic ending, with many criticizing Staley for calling a timeout—especially after Raiders QB Derek Carr confirmed in a postgame interview that it changed Las Vegas’s mindset.

This loss is 100% on Brandon Staley.

— Darius Butler (@DariusJButler) January 10, 2022

EVEN JUSTIN HERBERT SAID “I’VE NEVER WANTED A TIE SO BAD” AND BRANDON STALEY SAID NAH LEMME CALL A TIMEOUT pic.twitter.com/5Ljo5dHRNa

— Dylan Hornik (@_Hornik_) January 10, 2022

Incredible game. Though it's unfortunate we won't get to see Justin Herbert in the playoffs. Dude is a superstar.

— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) January 10, 2022

That was so COLD lol. Good for the Steelers

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) January 10, 2022

the most Chargers thing ever. If you told me this story without the team names I would 100% guess this happened to the Chargers.

— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) January 10, 2022

Brandon Staley took the timeout because he out smarted himself.

There’s one player missing on the #Chargers defense after the timeout. That missing player was the difference. See for yourself pic.twitter.com/ROvz4sLcqK

— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) January 10, 2022

THE CHARGERS TOOK THE TIMEOUT AND THAT BROKE THE TRUST BETWEEN THE TWO IT’S CLASSIC PRISONER’S DILEMMA

— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) January 10, 2022

Chargers avoiding the playoffs pic.twitter.com/syQ13XRj4O

— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) January 10, 2022