It was a fourth straight slow start to a game for the Raiders on the season. Only this time, the start was too slow. They were down 21-0 at the half with just one first down to their names.
They looked like they might make a game of it early in the third with consecutive TD drives to pull it to 21-14. But they were unable to score again and the Chargers added a late TD to seal it.
Let’s look at the best and worst performances in the Raiders’ first loss of the season.
Ballers
WR Hunter Renfrow
Just like last week, everyone is talking about Hunter Renfrow. Last week it was for a filthy triple move he made on All-Pro Xavien Howard to catch a TD on him. This week, it’s Renfrow’s crazy play on special teams that has everyone buzzing.
Late in the first quarter, Renfrow was sitting back to field a punt from the Chargers. But just as it was to be punted away, Renfrow sensed something was up. He was right, it was a fake. And the moment he saw the punter square up to throw, he took off and got to the receiver the moment the ball arrived and blew him up, knocking the ball out of his arms.
Renfrow was the only one who could’ve stopped that play from turning into a touchdown. And he did that and a whole lot more. Check out how far he had to run to make that play.
Hunter Renfrow’s hit/pass breakup on the fake punt is even more amazing when you realize how much ground he had to cover after realizing what was happening. Everything about this is awesome. #Raiders pic.twitter.com/QXWh3qh8Yv
— Levi Damien (@LeviDamien) October 6, 2021
That play was so awesome, no one is talking about the fact that Renfrow pulled that triple move again. And it was for a touchdown again. The Raiders’ first TD of the day from 13 yards out. The DB simply doesn’t know what to do with that move.
Renfrow finished with the team lead in receptions (6) for 45 yards and the TD. He also saved a TD and had a 17-yard punt return with a horsecollar tackle that tacked on 15 yards that put the Raiders in scoring position in the first half, but they opted to go for it on fourth down instead and didn’t pick it up.
CB Casey Hayward
Hayward had some things for his former team to make them regret letting him go. On the opening drive alone, Hayward made a tackle on a short catch, a tackle for loss on an end-around and cut off the outside on a run that resulted in a tackle for loss. They didn’t test him much the rest of the day. And the few times they did, led to incompletions.
DE Maxx Crosby
Most of Crosby’s work didn’t show up in the stat column. But his presence was felt.
The first Chargers’ possession of the second quarter ended with a three-and-out. On third down, Crosby put on a bull rush that drove RT Storm Norton into Justin Herbert’s lap and caused him to overthrow a wide-open Mike Williams on a deep route that would have been an easy touchdown.
On three consecutive drives starting in the late second quarter and going through the third quarter, Crosby had a QB hit to force an incompletion, a batted pass at the line to put the Chargers in third and long and was held on a third-down rush (it was declined). He also added a run stuff in there.
DT Darius Philon
It was apparently Philon’s turn to put up multiple sacks in a game. Certainly, it was no coincidence it was against his former team. The first came late in the first quarter. The Chargers got things moving on a 21-yard end-around that put them at the Las Vegas 39-yard-line. Then Philon came flying into the backfield to sack Herbert for a five-yard loss. That would ultimately lead to the fake punt that Renfrow blew up.
After the Raiders scored to open the third quarter, the Chargers were trying to answer. They converted on a fourth and two, but three plays later found themselves in third and ten. Philon blew past his man into the backfield again to sack Herbert for the second time. The Raiders got the ball back and drove for their second score to pull it to a one-score game.
T Kolton Miller
While the rest of the Raiders’ offensive line is a gaping wound, Miller is the lone bright spot. He didn’t give up even a pressure in this game that I saw. Certainly no sacks of QB hits. In fact, he hasn’t given up a sack this season. Miller had one bad play and it was a run stop. He’s allowed one bad block on. run. Especially considering how he’s been lights out in pass protection.
LB Cory Littleton
Littleton tied for the team lead with 12 tackles (eight solo) in this game. He even added a couple of special teams tackles. His first tackle was for a loss on the opening drive. The next possession, he came flying in on the blitz to force an incompletion to start a three-and-out. He ended the next possession with a tackle on a four-yard catch on third-and-15 to force another punt.
Littleton’s worst drive was the Chargers’ final drive of the first half. He gave up a nine-yard catch and missed a tackle on a 13-yard catch and run that put the Chargers at the 25-yard-line. They scored two plays later.
He would recover in the third quarter to make a run stuff for no gain on third-and-two. He would give up one more first down catch in the game, and none on the ground. Two first downs allowed is a solid performance.
P AJ Cole
As seems all too often, Cole was doing his part to make the Chargers earn their scoring drives. He had a 54-yard punt stopped at the 24, a 45-yard punt go out of bounds at the 40, a 49-yard punt fair caught at the ten, a 56-yard punt stopped at the 20, and a 52-yard punt fair caught at the 31. All in the first half to give him a 51.2-yard average and a 47.2-yard net. Only two punts were even returnable with the longest return going 11 yards.
[lawrence-newsletter]