That's a good point. I don't know if Stefanski calls a different play on that 3rd and 3, either. This is sad.
Sadly, probably not. Over the last two seasons this staff has used Chubb/Hunt/DEJ to close out games at the end when up by one score or less. I do recall them going with a Baker roll out to pickup the first down in Week 17 last year to finish off the Steelers and lock up the wild card spot. That was a little creative. Otherwise, see some case studies below from this year. I'm not going to dig deep into last year's games, but recall against the Jags, Texans, and Cowboys it was all run plays to close out those games. The difference was in the execution. So, I don't know, based off past results maybe it was the right call to run on 3rd and 3 but they just didn't execute. Just felt like with a 3rd string QB and the whole world expecting a Chubb run that it made a lot of sense to get a little creative and bootleg. Best case, Mullens hits a wide open guy in the flat or scrambles to pickup the easy 1st to end the game. Worst case, the Raiders telegraph it and Mullens eats a sack which keeps the clock moving.
Lions game (won 13-10)
9 play drive over the last 2:30 of the game
- 7 rushes by Chubb or DEJ, two of them coming on 3rd and 3 and 3rd and 2
- 2 kneel downs
Broncos game (won 17-14)
10 play drive over the last 5 minutes of the game
- 7 rushes for DEJ, one of them coming on a 3rd and 7 (DEJ picked up 8)
- 2 short completions by Keenum to Hooper and Landry
- 1 kneel down
Vikings game (won 14-7)
Vikings turnover on downs with all 3 TO's left with 1:20 left in the game, Browns go three and out and punt
- 2 rushes to Chubb for 5 total yards
- 1 awful Baker pass on 3rd and 5 to OBJ... would've worked had the pass been accurate
Vikings get the ball back and drive down the field but don't score
Chargers game (lost 47-22)
Browns are up 42-41 with 3 minutes left
- Hunt run for 1 yard, incomplete pass, and then a gutless 3rd and 9 run to Hunt that picks up 3 yards
Browns punt, Chargers score quickly, Browns get the ball back and turnover on downs to lose the game