Tag: Raiders vs Chargers

Derek Carr on Raiders’ unproven offensive line: ‘No matter what, I have a job to do’

Derek Carr on Raiders’ unproven offensive line: ‘No matter what, I have a job to do’

For months, there have been questions about the Raiders offensive line and whether it’s good enough to help propel what’s supposed to be a high-powered offense in Las Vegas.

Actually, the chatter began last season, when the group was one of the worst in the NFL. Little was done to improve the situation this offseason, especially during free agency.

So naturally, with superstar defensive ends Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa on deck Week 1 against the Chargers, the questions haven’t gone away.

Quarterback Derek Carr was asked about his “Carr Insurance” when he talked to reporters on Wednesday, and he projected confidence and trust in the group. Plus, Carr knows that no matter who is blocking, the table is set and he has to get the job done, anyway.

“I’ve always had that confidence of just that trust. When it’s been really good or sometimes when it’s been tough,” Carr said Wednesday. “I know that, no matter what that is, I have a job to do. To move the football and things like that.”

Carr went on to compliment offensive line coach Carmen Bricillo and all the work the line has put in to become better. Carr also said he’s excited to watch his new line play as a unit for the first time.

It will help that left tackle Kolton Miller, the Raiders’ best lineman by far, will finally suit up after being held out of the preseason. The Raiders will need him of course, as the Chargers’ front is imposing.

“You’ve got to block two of the best rushers and that’s not even including the inside guys who are unbelievable,” Carr said. “That’s a tall task for anybody. Hats off to the Chargers. They’re loaded everywhere, so we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

When Carr mentioned that some of his past lines were better than others, he wasn’t kidding. The Raiders previous regime put together a stellar offensive line before dismantling it, leaving what we see today.

And while Carr is correct to say he has a job to do no matter what, it seems to me, and to others, that coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler could have done more to provide Carr with proven players up front.

At least Alex Leatherwood and Brandon Parker, last season’s starters on the right side, have been replaced. They were eyesores in 2021, and a danger to Carr’s health in pass protection.

Plus, superstar wide receiver Davante Adams is an expert at getting open fast. Tight end Darren Waller and WR Hunter Renfrow will also provide Carr with quick-throw opportunities.

So the entire team has their work cut out for them against the Chargers, as Carr said. But all eyes will be on the offensive line. Unless they can get the job done, that is. Usually, we only notice the line when it performs poorly. If they can put an end to an offseason’s worth of questions, Carr’s job — to lead a high-powered offense — will be much, much easier.

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Raiders winners and losers in playoff-clinching victory vs. Chargers

Raiders winners and losers in playoff-clinching victory vs. Chargers

The Raiders beat the Chargers in overtime on Sunday night, 35-32, and punched their ticket to the AFC playoffs in the season’s final week. The thrilling game was a fitting end to a regular season filled with plenty of ups and downs for the silver and black.

Las Vegas jumped ahead 10-0, fell behind 14-10, and then surged to a 29-14 lead in the fourth quarter. After the Chargers mounted a comeback and sent the game to overtime, the teams exchanged field goals before Raiders kicker Daniel Carlson hit the 47-yard game-winner.

It was the Raiders’ fourth-straight win, and their fourth win in overtime this season. With a 10-7 record, they’ll face the Bengals in Cincinnati as the AFC’s fifth seed. Here are Las Vegas’ winners and losers in a game the entire franchise can be proud of.

Winners

Rich Bisaccia

Interim coach Rich Bisaccia assumed control of the Raiders amid uncertain times, with the resignation of ex-coach Jon Gruden. He steadied the ship, but Bisaccia’s leadership had to reach new heights after ex-wide receiver Henry Ruggs’ season ended in catastrophe.

And by leading the Raiders to a winning campaign and their first playoff birth since the 2016 season, he’s shown he’s a viable coaching candidate for Las Vegas. Bisaccia took a big step toward potentially having his “interim” title removed with this victory, and that’s a huge win for the veteran ball coach.

Derek Carr

Much like Bisaccia, quarterback Derek Carr once again had something to prove. He’s never played in a playoff game due to an injury in 2016, and this was his chance to prove he can once again lead a team to the tournament.

He got the job done and will soon cross the playoffs off of his career to-do list. Though Carr had just 186 passing yards, he threw two touchdowns. He was a bit reckless on a few passes and fumbled in the pocket, but he had zero turnovers, reversing a trend from previous weeks.

With Carr up for a new contract soon, such a performance can only help his chances of remaining the Raiders starting QB, regardless of who is coaching or running the front office.

Hunter Renfrow

Once again, WR Hunter Renfrow showed that he’s becoming one of the NFL’s premier pass-catchers. He caught both of Carr’s touchdown throws, one to give the Raiders a 10-0 lead and another to hand his team a 26-14 advantage.

Here’s a nice angle on his first score, which was vintage Renfrow.

Renfrow’s first touchdown was also his 100th reception of the season. He’s been sensational over the Raiders’ last four wins and has proven he can be much more than a bit player in Las Vegas’ offense.

Jalen Richard

Though he’s been a forgotten man for the Raiders this season due to injury, running back Jalen Richard has slowly crept back into his role of third-down back. On Sunday night, he made perhaps the play of the evening in a game that had plenty of candidates.

He converted a second-quarter 3rd-and-23 play on a delayed run up the middle, helping the Raiders bounce back after falling behind 14-10. Richard’s run came after an intentional grounding penalty on Carr and the drive led to a Las Vegas touchdown, with some help from a 41-yard pass interference penalty on Los Angeles drawn by Zay Jones.

Josh Jacobs

It was running back Josh Jacobs who cashed in for that touchdown, which came just before halftime, but he did much more on the day. In total, Jacobs had a career-high 132 yards on 26 carries, including some big runs in overtime.

His season hasn’t been what many hoped it would be, but it was the second time Jacobs tied or broke his career-high in the last three weeks. Lately, he looks a lot more like his old self, and that is great news for the Raiders as they head to the postseason.

Darius Philon

Defensive tackle Darius Philon had another one of this game’s big plays. When the Chargers unconventionally tried to convert a 4th-and-1 try from their own 18-yard line early in the second half, Philon was there to let Los Angeles know they should have considered a punt.

Philon made a memorable play but the entire defensive front terrorized Chargers QB Justin Herbert all game and played solid rush defense. The Raiders had three sacks, with Pro Bowl DE Maxx Crosby notching two. Las Vegas also had 10 QB hits and six tackles for loss.

As for the back end of the defense, the Raiders had 15 pass breakups.  Though cornerback Brandon Facyson gets this week’s only losers’ mention due to an early penalty that aided a Chargers touchdown drive.

And one more on the winners’ side: Carlson not only made the game-sealing kick, but he also hit all five of his field-goal tries and each of his PAT attempts.

As the Raiders roll into the playoffs on a four-game winning streak after a season of adversity, it’s anybody’s guess as to how far Bisaccia’s crew can go. But this was a huge win for the Las Vegas franchise, and it’s safe to say that inside the Raiders locker room, they believe anything is possible.

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SNF: Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders live stream, start time, how to watch the NFL

The Los Angeles Chargers will meet the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The Los Angeles Chargers will meet the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. This is a huge game for both teams, whoever wins will get into the playoffs and whoever loses will be sent home.

The Chargers are coming off a 34-13 win over the Broncos as they look to make their first trip to the playoffs since 2018. Meanwhile, the Raiders will also be looking to make a trip to the playoffs, the first time since 2016.

Tune in to the last NFL Sunday of the regular season, here is everything you need to know to stream the game today.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders

  • When: Sunday, January 9
  • Time: 8:20 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: NBC
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

How to watch the NFL Playoffs next week

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NFL Football Odds and Betting Lines

NFL odds courtesy of Tipico Sportsbook. Odds last updated Sunday at 7:40 p.m. ET.

Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas Raiders (-3.5)

O/U: 48.5

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Raiders winners and losers in 28-14 defeat vs. Chargers

Raiders winners and losers in 28-14 defeat vs. Chargers

As it turns out, a lightning delay before the Raiders’ Monday night game against the Chargers was indeed a bad omen for Las Vegas.

After sitting in the locker room longer than anticipated, coach Jon Gruden’s offense was a no-show in the first half, earning just one first down, and the Raiders fell behind 21-0 by halftime at SoFi Stadium. A third-quarter comeback made the game interesting, but Las Vegas came up short on a few big plays in crunch time and lost its first game of the season, 28-14.

Some Raiders performed better than others, however. Here are this week’s winners and losers after the Chargers pulled even with the Raiders at 3-1 in the AFC West.

Winners

Hunter Renfrow

In the first half, there wasn’t much to cheer about for any of the Raiders’ playmakers. Wide receiver Hunter Renfrow had to make his impact felt on special teams, at least initially.

With the Raiders down 7-0 in the first quarter, the Raiders defense forced a punt. The Chargers opted for a fake, but Renfrow was ready to stop the effort dead in its tracks.

That’s impressive stuff from the Raiders’ slot receiver. Plus, Renfrow caught quarterback Derek Carr’s first touchdown of the day. Renfrow ran his patented custom “flat-china” route, adding to its growing legend before a national audience. Despite the Raiders’ loss, Renfrow is more of a household name than ever.

Darius Philon

The Raiders’ prolific pass rush took a while to make an impact in the game, but as the night wore on, Chargers QB Justin Herbert felt the heat. Defensive tackle Darius Philon turned up the temperature first, with a first-quarter sack that set up Renfrow’s big hit on special teams.

Philon ended up with two sacks on the evening, earning his second QB take-down in crunch time. He also had two quarterback hits, adding to a total of seven for the Raiders defense. All in all, It was an impressive showing for the first-year Raiders lineman, and Philon probably didn’t mind that his big day came against his former team.

Amik Robertson

Cornerback Amik Robertson was pressed into duty after multiple Raiders cornerbacks were ruled out due to injury. The Chargers didn’t challenge him much, but Robertson didn’t get embarrassed on the evening against Los Angeles’ potent WR group.

What’s more, he looked as comfortable as one could expect from a second-year pro who lacks quality experience. Robertson had seven tackles, including six solo stops after cornerbacks Trayvon Mullen and Damon Arnette went down. Nickel corner Nate Hobbs was also evaluated for a concussion, and CB Casey Hayward Jr. missed time on the field, too.

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Raiders QB Marcus Mariota provides ‘exclamation point’ for coach Jon Gruden’s expensive reclamation project

The Raiders signed backup QB Marcus Mariota to a huge, questionable contract in 2020. Mariota provided answers in Thursday night’s loss.

When the Raiders signed former No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft, quarterback Marcus Mariota in the offseason, the high-priced contract suggested he may get a chance to compete with QB Derek Carr for the starting spot.

But that scenario never materialized, thanks to the lack of preseason due to COVID-19, Mariota’s reportedly slow start in practice and Carr’s sharp play in his third year with Gruden. Suddenly, Mariota and his large contract seemed seriously out of whack as he lingered on the inactive list. Questions about the signing increased, as did the ridicule.

But a few weeks ago, Mariota won the backup spot and started suiting up on game day. And now, after Carr’s first-quarter groin injury in the Raiders’ 30-27 overtime loss to the Chargers and Mariota’s strong performance, Gruden finally has his reply as to why he signed the former Heisman Trophy winner out of Oregon.

“It shows the kind of player and the kind of football character he has,” Gruden told reporters about Mariota’s performance. “You lose Derek and then we change gears offensively and Marcus came in and did a great job. Really proud of him. I think that just kind of puts an exclamation point on why we signed him. I just wish we could’ve won the game for him.”

Mariota not only left the bench and nearly led the Raiders to victory, he did so using a style Gruden covets. The coach has been adamant since his return to the Raiders that he wants his QB to make mobile plays out the construct of the offense, and that’s Mariota’s specialty. On Thursday, though the Raiders lost, Gruden’s high-priced backup showed his worth, and possibly a glimpse of the future.

Whether it’s Carr or Mariota or someone else, Gruden wants a QB that can break from the pocket, and since Gruden has a 10-year contract, it’s just a matter of time before that happens on a regular basis in Las Vegas. But for the time being, the Raiders appear to have two good quarterbacks, which will help with Carr’s injury down the stretch run of the season, perhaps with more exclamation points to come.

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Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers live stream, how to watch, NFL football predictions, odds, tv channel, start time

The Las Vegas Raiders will be on the road in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers from SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Las Vegas Raiders will be on the road in Week 9 against the Los Angeles Chargers from SoFi Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Raiders are coming off a 16-6 win over the Browns last week and will have a tough stretch of games coming up starting with the Chargers. Meanwhile, the Chargers have been blowing leads over the last four games and will need to get that under control to be successful this season.

This should be a fun one with both offenses being able to put up points. Don’t miss it, here is everything you need to know to stream the game live.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers

  • When: Sunday, November 8
  • Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: FOX
  • Live Stream: fuboTV (watch for free)

Prediction: I’m sticking with the Chargers in this one, they need to learn how to carry a lead and hold it. I think this is the game that it sticks and they hold on to beat the Raiders.

Bet: Los Angeles Chargers +1

How to watch the NFL this season

fuboTV has complete local NFL coverage (CBS, FOX, ESPN), plus NFL Network and NFL Network Redzone. FuboTV includes every network you need to watch every NFL game in your market.
fuboTV is available on your phone, tablet, desktop, TV, connected TV Devices including Roku. Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV plus many more.
*Regional Restrictions Apply*

NFL Football Odds and Betting Lines

NFL odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds last updated Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

Las Vegas Raiders vs. Los Angeles Chargers (+1)

Over/Under: 51.5

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We recommend interesting sports viewing/streaming and betting opportunities. If you sign up for a service by clicking one of the links, we may earn a referral fee.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

Raiders shake 3rd-quarter blues with drive of the game against Chargers

The Raiders scored their first third-quarter touchdown since Week 8, helping them stay alive in the playoff hunt.

In beating the Chargers to break a four-game losing streak and stay alive for the playoffs, the Raiders did something they haven’t done since Week 8: score a touchdown in the third quarter.

Oakland got the ball first to open the second half and methodically marched their way down the field to take a commanding 21-7 lead, resulting in this week’s drive of the game. The Raiders eventually won, 24-17 in front of thousands of Raiders fans in LA.

After having just 19 rushing yards in the first half, Oakland turned to the run game for this drive. It must be noted, however, that three of those yards came on a touchdown scramble by quarterback Derek Carr to close the first half. Still, the Raiders had done nearly all their damage through the air when the third quarter started.

The 13-play, 75-yard march began with three carries for 14 yards from running back DeAndre Washington, who started in place of the injured Josh Jacobs. Carr switched things up with a 20-yard pass to tight end Darren Waller on 2nd and 4.

A short Washington run and a 6-yard pass to TE Derek Carrier set up a 3rd-and-1, which Washington easily converted with a 5-yard tote. Gruden called Washington’s number again and the back rewarded him with a 6-yard gain.

On 2nd and 4 from the Chargers 21-yard line, RB Jalen Richard spelled Wahington for four plays, running the ball twice and hauing in two receptions. On the last Richard touch, he made his defender miss after catching a third-down pass, gaining a crucial last yard to set the Raiders up with 1st and goal at the 5-yard line.

Washington didn’t waste time after coming back into the game and ran it in from there to cap the drive, which itself ran 8:49 off the clock and set the tone for the second half, something the Raiders have struggled mightily to do.

Carr’s run in the first half capped another drive worthy of this column’s weekly honors. That 11-play march built momentum for the second half. But with the Raiders having been outscored in the third period 101 to 20 entering this game, the third-quarter effort gets the nod.

Gruden dismissed his club’s poor rushing numbers in the first half and put the drive in the hands of Jacobs’ backups, making what amounted to an adjustment after multiple pass-happy drives led by Carr.

It worked like a charm, instilling confidence in the Raiders while punching the Chargers in the chops, leading the way to victory and a possible playoff berth.

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Raiders QB Derek Carr cools his hot seat with stellar performance vs. Chargers

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr quieted reports of disconnect with Jon Gruden with a stellar performance against the Chargers.

With the Raiders losing four consecutive games in large part due to a struggling offense, there were rumors of disconnect between quarterback Derek Carr and coach Jon Gruden.

Carr did his best to quiet any such chatter by turning in a stellar performance against the Chargers, leading his team to a 24-17 victory and keeping the Raiders’ playoff chances alive in front of thousands of Raiders fans in LA.

Carr completed 26 of 30 passes for 291 yards and two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. He failed to notch his first 300-yard passing performance but was a perfect 10 for 10 passing in the second half.

The return of wide receiver Hunter Renfrow helped Carr’s cause, especially on third-down plays. The two paired for five completions on that crucial down, including a 56-yard touchdown on the Raiders’ first drive of the game, per The Raiders Wire’s own Levi Damien.

Carr and Renfrow’s on-field relationship was solidifying before Renfrow was injured against the Jets, and Carr acknowledged his rapport with the rookie after the game, telling reporters, “Obviously the chemistry is there. There’s no denying that.” 

Carr also made an impact while running the ball. His hesitation to bolt from the pocket when needed this season is part of the reported disconnect between Carr and Gruden. Carr scored a touchdown on a pass play that saw him roll out to the right and keep running when tight end Darren Waller and fullback Alec Ingold were covered.

After the game, Gruden noted that Carr’s athleticism is underrated and sounded more than pleased with his quarterback’s ability to threaten the defense with his legs. He also reaffirmed he wants more from Carr in that regard.

“I think that was something that we were really looking for and excited about. He is a much better athlete than people know about and we have been trying to encourage him to do more of that,” Gruden told reporters after the game. “It was a bootleg … LA did a nice job to cover it. That’s what you need to be. You need to be a threat to run and that’s what he did today. That was a big play for us.”

That the Raiders were booed last week after losing the last game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum only fueled speculation about Carr’s future with the club. Gruden notoriously has a wandering eye when it comes to quarterbacks, as well.

But Carr executed the offense at a high level against the Chargers — through the air, and on the ground, earning a second chance to succeed in front of a friendly crowd.  If he can do the same next week when the Raiders travel to Denver to face the Broncos, rumors of a new quarterback for the 2020 Las Vegas Raiders will greatly subside.

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