Raiders winners and losers in 34-20 defeat vs. Chargers

The Raiders season ended with another loss. Which players and coaches stood out more than others?

The Raiders kept the Chargers quiet early but couldn’t hold them down for long, losing 34-20 on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium.

Las Vegas had a 10-3 advantage in the second quarter but the Chargers scored 17 straight points to take control, led by quarterback Justin Herbert. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell threw an interception just before halftime, allowing LA to notch its first touchdown.

The Raiders clawed to within one score of the Chargers (11-6) at 20-13 just before the fourth quarter, but LA again pulled away before a late touchdown from Raiders tight end Brock Bowers provided the final tally.

Here are the winners and losers after the Raiders closed the season with a disappointing 4-13 record.

Winner: TE Brock Bowers

Bowers’ special rookie season wrapped up with him setting another record, although it’s a record he’s already had. After Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers passed Bowers’ record-setting catch total from last week, Bowers regained the record with four catches for 50 yards and one touchdown against the Chargers.

Bowers ended his season with 112 catches, 1,194 yards, and five touchdowns. Once the Raiders get some stability at quarterback, Bowers figures to become even more potent as an offensive weapon.

Winner: WR Jakobi Meyers

After ex-Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams abruptly requested a trade (back when Las Vegas was 2-2), the team needed its pass catchers to step up. Wide receiver Jakobi Meyers did just that, registering his first 1,000-yard season after grabbing nine receptions for 112 yards and a touchdown against the Chargers.

In fact, Meyers ended up with more catches than Adams this season and nearly as many yards. Meyers’ touchdown was on a beautiful double move and gave the Raiders an early 10-3 advantage.

Winner: DT Jonah Laulu

Defensive tackle Jonah Laulu continued his late-season surge. He stopped a Chargers running back for a loss on 4th-and-1 on the Chargers’ first drive of the day. He also had a QB pressure on a key 3rd-and-5 play, holding LA to a field goal that tied the score at 3-3. Laulu had seven total tackles (two solo) on the day. He’s rejuvenated his young career during his time in Las Vegas.

Winner: LB Robert Spillane

The Chargers had 473 total yards of offense. So, the Raiders defense had a lot of tackles to make. Still, linebacker Robert Spillane deserves a hat tip for his 16 tackles. However, he also missed his fair share of stops, most notably in the open field on a 42-yard run by Herbert.

Loser: QB Aidan O’Connell

The Raiders defense had just held the Chargers to a field goal to preserve a 10-9 lead, giving the ball to the Raiders offense with more than a minute left on the clock and one timeout. Las Vegas needed to mount a drive because the Chargers would get the ball after halftime.

Instead, O’Connell threw a pass while he was off balance in the pocket, attempting to connect with running back Alexander Mattison. The Chargers picked it off and were in the end zone for their first touchdown a few plays later.

O’Connell’s blunder turned the game in the Chargers’ direction, much like turnovers plagued the Raiders during their 10-game losing streak. Winning the turnover battle will be vital for the Raiders next season, regardless of who is coaching.

Loser: Raiders secondary

Herbert was on fire throughout this game, ending up with 346 yards on 28-for-36 passing and two touchdowns. The Raiders defense held LA to field goals early despite a 39-yard connection with WR Quentin Johnston on one drive and a 47-yard throw to WR Ladd McConkey on another.

But the Chargers kept firing. Cornerback Jack Jones appeared to let up on the Chargers touchdown right before halftime, and CB Kyu Blu Kelly was called for pass interference in the end zone in the third quarter. CB Decamerion Richardson was flagged for a special teams penalty and allowed a 39-yard reception to Johnston late in the game, and safety Isaiah Pola-Mao missed an open field tackle on McConkey’s 47-yard catch and run.

Herbert’s field day provided an overwhelming advantage in time of possession for the Chargers for most of the game.

Loser: OC Scott Turner

While the Chargers offense was having its fun, the Raiders offense only amassed 225 yards, including a paltry 39 rushing yards. Offensive coordinator Scott Turner’s unit went three-and-out twice to start the game and didn’t get the ball to Bowers enough early.

In Turner’s defense, Bowers was open in the end zone on a 3rd-and-5 play in the first quarter and O’Connell just missed him. Plus, Bowers had a drop on another big third-down play in the second quarter. Turner was probably the happiest person on the team after Bowers’ garbage time score, as scoring just 13 points to close his interim campaign in Las Vegas could have damaged his career prospects.

Loser: DE Tyree Wilson

I saw Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson on the field a lot on Sunday. He had at least a couple of pressures but it would have been big for his career prospects had he been able to do more. He finished with just one tackle.

Loser: Raiders coaching staff

The Raiders coaching staff, led by head coach Antonio Pierce, really wanted this one. They had a shot, too, but failed against the Chargers staff, led by the formidable Jim Harbaugh.

The players played hard, but the execution wasn’t up to par. Which of these coaches will be back, if any? That includes Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.

At least the defeat solidified the Raiders NFL Draft status. They’ll select sixth overall after another disappointing season. Now Raider Nation will wait and see what the franchise does next, hoping to see the Raiders’ winning culture of the past rise from the dead.