The Cleveland Browns beat the Las Vegas Raiders 24-10 Sunday evening in a game that saw the two teams combine for 34 points.
The Browns had a chance to add a field goal late as they had the ball at the Raiders’ 29-yard line, with a chance to make the score 27-10 in the final minutes.
Instead, Cleveland opted to punt rather than attempt a 46-yard field goal to make it a three-score game. Punting the ball also kept the over on the game from hitting as the over-under was set at 36.5 and a made field goal would have pushed the total points to 37.
Needless to say, fans were upset on X.
"NFL IS SO RIGGED AND THEY DON’T EVEN HIDE IT," one fan said. “34 Points, 14-point lead, could have made it [a] 3-score game! Browns have the ball at the Raiders 29. Instead of a field goal they punt. The announcer said that was the first punt inside the 30 he’s seen or can remember. If they hit the field goal the over wins!”
Another fan added, “Browns just elected to punt from the Raiders 29. A field goal would’ve put Cleveland 3 scores up but hit the over. This is the kind of [expletive] that makes people think the NFL is rigged.”
Cleveland went on to win the game 24-10 and could have just wanted to avoid the possibility of a field goal getting blocked and returned for a touchdown.
After all, there was approximately a minute left in the game when Cleveland punted. Still, it’s rare to see a team punt from inside the opponent’s 30-yard line at any level of football, particularly in the NFL.
Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders was 11 of 20 passing for 209 yards, with 1 touchdown and 1 interception in the victory. The game marked the first start of Sanders’ career.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.