Raiders keep surprising all the doubters pulling out another win at Oakland Coliseum. Raiders nation almost had a heart attack as the Raiders won a close against the Los Angeles Chargers winning 26-24 on a game-winning drive.
The Raiders defense came out hot, forcing turnovers on back to back drives to start the game with one going for a touchdown opening up a 10-0 lead. The Chargers were able to bounce back having an active day running the football, finishing with 146 yards rushing, which is the worst game for the Raiders defense against the run since the Minnesota Vikings. The defense still played well only allowing 4.7 yards per play adding 5 sacks and three turnovers
The offense struggled early, starting with 36 yards the first 20 minutes of the football game. Jon Gruden adjusted well, and the Raiders were able to move the ball eventually but only averaged 5.0 yards per play all game. Derek Carr was solid and saved his best for last with a top-notch drive finished off with a Josh Jacobs run that ended up being the game-winner.
Raiders are flying high after winning two in a row and have two winnable games up next with the Cincinnati Bengals and the New York Jets. Let’s look at the winners and losers against the Chargers.
Winner: DE Clelin Ferrell
Raider nation has been critical of Mike Mayock’s first draft pick and for a good reason. Clelin Ferrell has struggled to adjust to the NFL game being a no show in most of the Raiders matchups this season. However, Ferrell had his breakout performance on the national stage displaying why he was drafted at four.
Ferrell finished the game with 2.5 sacks, 8 total tackles, and a pass defense. Fans saw why Mayock was high on Ferrell when he was a prospect in the draft. He displayed his advanced technique using his long arms and hand placement, helping him execute bullrushes.
Later in the game, Ferrell countered and added a rip combination after using the bull rush for the majority of the night, setting up lineman to create big plays late.
The first-round pick second week in a row with high-level play is an excellent sign for this pass rush and defense. If Ferrell has turned the corner, this adds another element to a defense that needs a dynamic pass rusher to lead this team into the future. Thursday, let you know what he can do if he reaches that potential.
Winner: FS Erik Harris
Erik Harris is one of the best stories in the NFL, being an undrafted ex CFL Player. Entering his second time in the winners’ column, Harris had the game of his life. After struggling last week in coverage, Harris displayed why he is a starter in this secondary making the plays that really solidified a Raiders win against the Chargers.
Harris finished with two interceptions, and three passes defended, but he almost could have had 5, which is crazy to think about. He set the tone of the game with his first interception on a terrible Philip Rivers to pass on the Chargers’ opening drive.
Then he added his second pick-six of the season, returning an interception for a touchdown after reading Rivers’ eyes and displayed good run after the catch ability taking it back to the house.
The undrafted free agent almost had a trifecta after reading Rivers’ eyes in the red zone, but that play was taken back after a questionable offsides call. Harris, for sure, achieved the best game of his career, and the Raiders coaching staff is hoping this duplicates to multiple games instead of this being an aberration.
Winner: DE Maxx Crosby
Mad Maxx continues to exhibit he is a real steal for Mayock, who is displaying a knack for late-round picks. The fourth-rounders relentlessness is on full display every play fans watch. Crosby feasted on the Chargers offensive line all night having one his best games in a promising rookie season.
While the original box score only displayed .5 sacks and just three total tackles, his advanced metrics show his dominant performance. Crosby finished with 10 total pressures according to NFL next-gen stats. His motor never stops, and he was always in the backfield, forcing Rivers out of rhythm and forcing throws into traffic. The pressure he caused early in the game led to a pick-six by Harris.
Crosby and Ferrell’s development is massive for the Raiders’ future. Crosby seems to be a starter for the long run, and he continues to have his snap count rise every game as he makes an impact. It’s only the beginning for the former Eastern Michigan star, and the Raiders genuinely feel like they have the steal of the 2019 NFL draft.
Losers: CB Trayvon Mullen
After entering the winners’ column the week before, Mullen came back to life against the Chargers. The second-round pick is for sure going through his bumps and bruises. Mullen displayed his potential on a few plays, but he also allowed significant plays downfield that cost the Raiders defense.
The first big play he allowed was on the Chargers’ first drive when he was called for pass interference. He displayed good coverage on the play but played the pass like it was college, giving the Chargers first down. Mullen then gave up the big play to Mike Williams on the Chargers’ successful drive that had them taking the pulling within three late in the third quarter.
Mullen is growing through his early pains during the season and has displayed a ton of promise. When a player is a rookie cornerback in the NFL, he will struggle just adjusting to the verbiage that makes a great defense. Mullen is on his way there, but Thursday night was full of growing pains.
Loser: G Gabe Jackson
The Raiders offensive line was fully intact for the second time all year, and last time only lasted 9 snaps. The Raiders were expected to be dominant offensive front they have displayed all season. It didn’t happen Thursday as the offensive line put out its worst performance of the season, and Gabe Jackson was worst of them all.
Jackson was maltreated all night in his pass sets, giving up two sacks on the day. He couldn’t hang with Melvin Ingram when he rushed from inside even when he had help from Rodney Hudson. Later on, in the game, he was beaten off the ball against by Ingram’s back up Uchenna Nwosu for another sack that led to the Chargers getting the ball back and having a scoring drive to take the lead.
Jackson was playing at a high level before this performance, and hopefully, he will just come back better than ever for his next outing against the Bengals. He will have his hands full facing superstar Geno Atkins, but Rodney Hudson will be ever more rested to apply help to his left, and Trent Brown will be as well. Expect this to be a rare occurrence for Jackson in this column.
