The Raiders lead the Chargers, 17-14.
Here are three things that stood out in the second quarter:
Running with a purpose
It took a few games, but running back Melvin Gordon is finally finding his groove. Gordon is starting to see holes and he’s running like he wants to inflict pain into defenders. As a result, Gordon has rushed for 71 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
Not bad for a rookie
Seen as a developmental offensive tackle, rookie Trey Pipkins came in at left tackle after Russell Okung went down in the first quarter. Since he entered the game, Pipkins is showing to be worth the investment. He has made a couple key blocks for running backs Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, and has also kept the pressure off of quarterback Philip Rivers’ blindside.
Penalties have helped
Penalties have killed the Raiders, but have helped the Chargers. The most notable was on the drive that resulted in Gordon’s rushing touchdown. Prior to the touchdown, Rivers was picked off by Erik Harris in the end zone, but it was negated by an offsides penalty. In total, Oakland has committed eight penalties for 77 yards.
