It was the final primetime NFL game ever at Oakland Coliseum. Befitting that it was between these two longtime AFC West rivals. Though it was a hard-fought game, it was far more sloppy than anyone would have liked.
Both teams hovered around 30 percent efficiency on third down. The Chargers were 3 for 10, and the Raiders were 4 for 12. It was also a flag fest out there with the Raiders being called for 12 penalties for 97 yards and the Chargers getting 8 flags for 70 yards.
The Chargers lost Russell Okung early in the game, so they were fielding two backup tackles. The Raiders took advantage to sack Philip Rivers five times and harass him enough to have him throwing up gift passes all day. He threw three interceptions, including the one that ended the game. But he could have easily thrown a couple more. And he fumbled the ball as well.
Then despite Melvin Gordon putting up 108 yards on the day, the Chargers decided Rivers should pass on every play on their final drive. Seven passes despite having over a minute and three timeouts to work with. It was just weird, and the Raiders just continued to get after him as he went 0 for 7 on the possession with the game-sealing interception.
It wasn’t the shootout like last week against the Lions. This time the defense had its day. Which, in its own way, was a breath of fresh air.
Top Baller: FS Erik Harris
The Raiders jumped out to a 10-0 lead in this game, all thanks to Harris. It was looking like the Chargers would pick up where they left off against the Packers and drive for a score to open the game. That ended when Rivers sailed a pass, and Harris was right there to pick it off and return it 59 yards to the Oakland 31. The Raiders would get a field goal out of that.
Back on the field came the Chargers, who were moving again, with 26 yards on the first three plays. Then Rivers was pressured, causing him to rush his throw and Harris broke on the ball, picked it off and returned it 56 yards to the house. That’s a 10-0 lead before the Raiders offense had done a thing.
What’s crazy is Harris had those two huge interceptions, but he could have had five. He nearly picked off a pass in the end zone on the Chargers’ first scoring drive in the second quarter. He knocked the throw down, but the Chargers managing to get the touchdown on the next play.
The very next drive, he did intercept the ball in the end zone, but Maxx Crosby was flagged for being offside, so his would-be third interception was nullified. Once again, the Chargers scored on the next play to take the lead 14-10. And just like that, it appeared Harris’s efforts were lost.
Late in the second quarter, the Raiders offense was finally able to contribute to the effort, driving for a touchdown. Each team would swap scores in the third and fourth quarters.
With a 26-24 Raiders lead, the Chargers would get the ball with one last chance to drive for the win. All they would need is to get into field goal range.
That effort nearly ended in three plays with Harris once again getting his hands on one. But the high pass just slipped through his hands. A holding penalty on Trayvon Mullen would keep the drive alive. Harris would have tight coverage on one more incompletion on the drive as Rivers didn’t complete a single pass on seven attempts on that final drive.
Ballers: DEs Maxx Crosby, Clelin Ferrell, Benson Mayowa
The Raiders edge rushers were feasting on the Chargers’ backup tackles. Rivers was never comfortable in the pocket, and he isn’t someone who gets easily rattled. On the third play of the game, Crosby and Ferrell converged on Rivers to sack him for an 8-yard loss. A few plays later, Crosby would nail Rivers as he threw and the pass fell incomplete. Harris would get his first pick on the next play.
The second Harris interception was made possible with pressure from Maxx Crosby. The next possession, Ferrell had a couple run stops, and then on third and four Mayowa got around the edge again to get Rivers’ arm as he drew back. Rivers pulled it back, and Mayowa sacks him with an assist from Maurice Hurst.
The Chargers’ first two scoring drives were not great for Ferrell and Crosby. The first one had Ferrell twice lining up offside. Though he also batted down a pass at the line on first and goal from the two. The second one had Erik Harris’s interception wiped out by Crosby lining up offside. They giveth, and they taketh away.
Those mistakes behind them, Ferrell sacked Rivers on the Chargers’ second play of the third quarter, leading to a three-and-out. Next possession was also a three-and-out with Mayowa again getting the edge to hit Rivers’ arm as he threw. This time he forced the fumble and just couldn’t quite get to the loose ball. Either way, the Chargers had to give the ball back.
On the final Chargers scoring drive, the pass rush seemed to be the only thing that was working. The first play saw Ferrell got to Rivers for the third time on the day for a three-yard loss. The Chargers would convert on third, and on the next play, Crosby would get in the backfield for a tackle for loss.
A bogus pass interference penalty would give the Chargers a new set of downs, and Crosby got pressure and was held to back them up. Another penalty would give the Chargers another new set of downs, and Crosby had a run stop. They would still get the touchdown to take a late lead, but not for lack of effort on the part of the edge rushers.
The Raiders would answer with a score of their own to re-take the lead, so it was up to the defense to hold it. Seven plays in, with the Chargers lining up in 4th and 10, with the game in the balance, Crosby would get to Rivers again, laying a hit on him as he threw and Karl Joseph picked it off to seal the deal.
Ballers: RB Josh Jacobs, FB Alec Ingold, C Rodney Hudson
The offense got off to a good start with Jacobs getting the ball. His first carry went for six yards with key blocks from Ingold and Hudson. Jacobs would pick up 19 yards on his first four carries. Then they went away from him and saw their first three drives stalled.
Come their final drive of the first half, they found themselves behind 14-10. On the first play, Carr found Jacobs in the left flat, and he took it for 17 yards. That drive would get to midfield in 4th and one, and it was Ingold who got the call up the middle where he pushed through for the first down. The Raiders would drive inside the ten, and in third and one from the 9-yard-line, Gruden called his signature Spider 2 Y Banana, which is a swing pass to the fullback. Ingold executed it flawlessly for the touchdown.
The Raiders were back in scoring position to begin the third quarter. In 2nd and ten from the 12-yard-line, Jacobs got the handoff and went up the middle for 8 yards with Hudson laying one of the key blocks. They would get a field goal out of it.
What really earns them a spot together among this week’s Ballers was what they did on third and one from the LA 18-yard-line with 1:06 left in the game. The Raiders were down 24-20, so only a touchdown would do. Jacobs got the handoff and went straight up the middle with Ingold ahead of him.
Hudson made this play happen. He snapped the ball, instantly saw Brandon Mebane shading into the hole. He nudges Mebane enough for Richie Incognito to engage with him head-on.
Then Hudson comes off of Mebane in an instant and drives linebacker Drue Tranquill to the left where he is met head-on by Ingold. With Mebane and Tranquill both cleared out of the hole, Jacobs shoots through the gap and goes 18 yards to paydirt for the go-ahead score.
Baller: SS Karl Joseph
Unfortunately, this could be a farewell Baller mention for Joseph. He made the big interception to seal the game and injured himself in the process and was placed on injured reserve. Earlier in the game, he timed the snap perfectly to shoot into the backfield for a tackle for loss, which helped hold the Chargers to a short field goal. That play was huge too, just not the game-sealing variety.
Joseph’s rookie contract is up at the end of this season, so that interception to end it could possibly be the end of his Raiders career. I hope that isn’t the case, but if it is, there are certainly worse ways to go out than as the hero of the game for the second week in a row. He had the game-sealing pass breakup against the Lions last week.
Hope to see you back with the Raiders next year, KJ. But if not, go get yours and be a Baller for another squad.
Honorable Mention
Derek Carr – He managed this offense against a tough defense, including leading them down the field for a late comeback win. It was the defense who won the day for the Raiders, but Carr didn’t squander their efforts.
Busters: CBs Trayvon Mullen, Lamarcus Joyner
The Chargers’ first drive appeared as if it might end after four plays, but Mullen was flagged for pass interference on third and 14 to keep it alive. Next play, Joyner was blocked on a 12-yard run, and the Chargers were in scoring range. We know what happened next and on the next possession as well. Erik Harris happened.
Come the second quarter, the Chargers mounted another drive. In third and two from the 5-yard-line, Joyner would give up the first down catch and the touchdown catch when he was supposed to cover the deep part of the zone but didn’t drop back to cover Hunter Henry in the back of the end zone for a wide-open touchdown.
Late in the third quarter, with the Raiders leading 20-14, Mullen gave up a 45-yard catch. The next play, Joyner was blocked on a 24-yard run, and then Mullen gave up a 7-yard catch. That put the Chargers in range of a short field goal to pull within three.
That three-point lead would turn into a 4-point deficit after the next Chargers drive. Mullen gave up a 6-yard catch on third and four. Then Joyner would give up a 26-yard catch followed shortly by a 10-yard catch to put the Chargers at the 15-yard-line. A few plays later, and they were in the end zone.
The offense pushed back to re-take the lead late in the fourth quarter, but there was still plenty of time for the Chargers to answer. Three incompletions put them in 4th and 10. Then Mullen was called for holding, giving the Chargers a reprieve with a fresh set of downs.
Lucky for him and the Raiders, the Chargers didn’t have a clue what to do with them. Unfortunately, those were a costly four downs because Karl Joseph was lost for the season and Joyner pulling up lame with an apparent hamstring injury.
Buster: RG Gabe Jackson
The first Raiders possession started already in scoring range. After picking up 17 yards on three plays, Jackson was called for holding, backing them up ten yards. This put them in third and long, and Melvin Ingram split between Jackson and Rodney Hudson to sack Derek Carr. They would settle for a field goal.
The Chargers would score early in the second quarter, to pull it to 10-7. And the offense’s answer was a three-and-out with Jackson missing his block on third and short to as Oakland gained no yards on the play. He would give up another run stuff for no gain on the next drive.
Late in the third quarter, the Chargers once again scored to pull within three at 20-17. The Raiders responded with a 5-play possession, with Jackson giving up the sack on Carr on third down to force a punt.
Buster: PK Daniel Carlson
Carlson has now missed a field goal in consecutive games. The one he missed in this one came from 53 yards out. He pulled it wide left. That would have been his career-long, and you can’t fault him much for missing anything outside of 50 yards. But extra points are from 33 yards out. And he missed a big one in this game.
The Raiders’ late touchdown drive should have given them a three-point lead, which would mean the Chargers could drive into field goal range to tie it. But Carlson missed the extra point, and with the score 26-24, all the Chargers would need to do is kick a field goal to win it. Lucky for him, the Chargers forgot they could actually run the ball.
