The 10 Most Impactful Plays of Week 11
1. I Conte Even…
Win Probability Added: +38.04
NEP: +6.91
We learned a lot from the Seattle Seahawks’ goal-line gaffe in the Super Bowl: when you have a great short-yardage runner, use him on the goal-line. It’s incomprehensible to me, therefore, that the Kansas City Chiefs decided to mimic the horrendous decision to throw on the six-yard line this week, essentially sealing their chances of a comeback in the game. Sure, it’s excusable to think that Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Chris Conte is one of the least likely people in the league to make an aware, clutch play like that, but we still shouldn’t encourage it.
The Chiefs decided to allow Alex Smith to throw in close, using running back Spencer Ware as a play-action decoy instead. The target was wide receiver Chris Conley, who had defenders all around him, including Conte. All Conte had to do was creep down on the obvious seam route and hope the ball didn’t clang off his hands. He picked it in the end zone, then brought it 53 yards back to set up the Bucs for the touchdown that would put them two scores ahead.
