The Chargers and Raiders met in Week 18 with a bizarre playoff scenario. If the game ended in a tie, both teams would make the playoffs. If one team lost, they were out and the Steelers would take the final AFC spot. So naturally, everyone started rooting for a tie. Regulation ended dramatically when the Chargers scored a touchdown with five seconds left and hit the extra point to tie it. In overtime, both teams traded field goals, keeping the dream of a tie alive.
But with the game winding down and the Raiders at midfield, tensions rose. The Chargers called a timeout on third down with 38 seconds left, confusing fans and players alike. It looked like the Raiders might have been willing to let the clock expire and settle for the tie. After the timeout, Las Vegas ripped off a run for a first down, then stopped the clock with two seconds to kick the game-winning field goal. The Raiders won, sent the Chargers home, and handed the Steelers a playoff spot.
Afterward, speculation swirled about a sideline exchange between players. Some believed the Raiders were ready to kneel before the Chargers stopped the clock, but lip readers couldn’t agree. Whether or not a tie was ever truly on the table, the game turned into one of the wildest finishes in recent memory.