Last year, Chargers receiver Keenan Allen objected loudly on social media to a failed decision by coach Brandon Staley to go for it on fourth and one.
On Sunday, Allen was supportive of the move.
Leading 28-24 with less than two minutes to play and the ball on their own 24, the Chargers faced fourth and one. Staley decided to go for it. Allen supported the move, even though it didn’t work out.
“I think everybody in the huddle was wanting to go for it,” Allen told PFT by phone after the win. “We were pretty much in the huddle just saying, ‘Dog, like, just quarterback sneak it. And you know just let [quarterback Justin Herbert] go and get it.”
Allen ultimately agreed with the decision to hand the ball off, given that “they had the gaps all filled up so it would have been tough for the QB sneak.”
What about the Eagles’ approach to short yards, where they line players up behind the quarterback and push?
“I actually thought about that one,” Allen said. “Once we didn’t get it. I was like, damn, we should probably put that in.”
It still worked out for the Chargers, just like it did last year against the Browns, when Cleveland couldn’t capitalize on the failed fourth-down decision with which Allen disagreed.