Letters to Sports: Brandon Staley’s fourth-down gamble made no sense

The Chargers have lost games they deserved to win. Last Sunday at the Vikings they won a game they deserved to lose primarily due to coach Brandon Staley’s decision to not punt on fourth and one deep in his own territory. They survived but barely and Staley’s postgame explanation made little sense. If the Chargers had lost, Staley might have been fired. He still should be, for his stubbornness and unwillingness to admit when he’s wrong.

Jack Wishard
Los Angeles

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The Chargers should have made NFL history by firing their head coach right after a victory. Their fans would love it.

Wayne Kamiya
El Segundo

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Too often decisions are made based on how things turn out. That is wrong. Sure the Chargers won, but the decision to go for it on their own 24-yard line was inexcusable. Coupled with past decisions Staley has made (one of which kept them out of the playoffs), now is the time to replace him.

Mark Kaiserman
Santa Monica

The Rams played against a team with a hobbled quarterback Monday night and managed just one sack. I’ve seen more aggressive defensive play calling in a Pro Bowl.

Dave Eng
Thousand Oaks

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For all his genius, Sean McVay doesn’t understand how to run the football, and create a balanced attack. When he does run and is successful, like against Seattle, he quickly abandons what works in favor of more passing.

He is willing to surrender a clear advantage to all defenses, good or bad, with his 99.9% passing attack. No threat of run means teams blitz just as the mediocre Bengals did Monday night.

McVay’s love for Stafford is well documented, but he is risking serious injury to him, (probably worse than last year) with his shortsightedness.

Axel Hubert
Santa Monica

Bill Plaschke is wrong when he writes that Clayton Kershaw is a better pitcher than Sandy Koufax.

Sandy won three Cy Young Awards when there was only one given for both leagues, pitched on three days rest, and on two days’ rest in some crucial games. He shut out the Twins in the 1965 World Series in Games 5 and 7 on two days’ rest. If you had one game to win, who would you pick to start? Plaschke would be the only one to pick Kershaw.

Clayton Kershaw is great but Sandy Koufax is incomparable.

Don Sogioka
Ventura

When is Dave Roberts going to get the credit he deserves? Ten out of 11 NL West division championships. Culture that handles adversity and never succumbs to it. Fun teams to watch with a variety of roles coming together for a common goal. Roberts is clearly a first-class leader and as a longtime season ticket-holder, I’m glad he’s in Dodger blue.

Greg Foster
Los Angeles

When is UCLA going to improve its nonconference schedule? Beating up three cupcakes obviously did not prepare them for conference play. Poll voters figured out right away that 3-0 record was pure fluff.

Joe Novak
La Crescenta

It is amazing to me that the tiny Times “Sports” page devotes three full pages to Deion Sanders (mostly pictures), which really has little to do with local sports, but can’t cover baseball.

Ellen Klein
Los Angeles

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Only the L.A. Times sports page would feature the self promoter, Prime, over the local team, which is ranked in the top 10 in the country. Colorado was obliterated by Oregon and barely escaped Colorado State. He is a self-promoter and you fell for it. Hopefully USC will put an end to all this nonsense.

Allan Kretchman
Woodland Hills

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Thank you so much for devoting more than 60% of your Thursday section to Deion Sanders.

Can you please refund 60% of my subscription rate?

Steve Horn
Glendale

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