Tag: Raiders winners and losers vs Chargers

Raiders winners and losers in 27-20 victory vs. Chargers

Raiders winners and losers in 27-20 victory vs. Chargers

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The Raiders nearly wasted a dominant performance on offense and defense against the Chargers but came out on top, 27-20, at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

After a slow start that included two early turnovers, the Raiders offense averaged nearly seven yards per play against Los Angeles, led by wide receiver Davante Adams and running back Josh Jacobs. The Las Vegas defense didn’t allow a touchdown until the fourth quarter, hounding Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert along the way.

It added up to a 27-13 fourth-quarter lead, but the Raiders defense had to stop a last-gasp effort by the Chargers to earn a close win, Las Vegas’ third-straight.

Here are the winners and losers for the week, as the Raiders put a dent in the Chargers’ playoff plans and improved their own record to 5-7.

Winner: DE Chandler Jones

This season has been disappointing for defensive end Chandler Jones, but on Sunday, he did his best to make up for it.

Jones had a huge impact early as the offense sputtered in the first quarter. He got his first full QB sack of the season on the Chargers’ first drive, and he followed that with a big 4th-and-2 tackle that stopped Herbert short of a first down on LA’s second drive.

He ended up with three QB sacks, with his second being the most impactful. The play held the Chargers to a field goal try and a 10-0 lead.

The offense got cooking after that, and thanks to Jones and the defense, QB Derek Carr and company were within striking distance when they did. Jones ended his day with those three sacks, two tackles for loss, a pass defensed, four QB hits, and six tackles.

Winner: RB Josh Jacobs

Jacobs racked up 144 rushing yards and a touchdown on 26 carries, once again proving to be a key cog in the Raiders’ offensive machine. He had one of the Raiders’ two early turnovers, a fumble after a nifty reception, but he didn’t lose focus, and coach Josh McDaniels didn’t stop feeding him the football.

Jacobs demoralized the Chargers with several high-effort runs, refusing to go down at first contact. He’s the perfect compliment to the Raiders’ other explosive option on offense, Davante Adams.

Winner: WR Davante Adams

The Raiders offense didn’t get on track until Carr and McDaniels targeted Adams in the second quarter. From that point forward, Adams dominated. He ended up with 177 receiving yards on eight receptions, including two touchdowns. His performance set an all-time mark for Raiders wide receivers.

He was a threat all over the field and both of his touchdowns were from further than 30 yards out, including a 45-yard grab on a flea flicker.

After turning to Adams, Carr found his groove and more than made up for his early interception, which the Chargers returned for a touchdown.

Winner: Raiders defense

From the Chargers’ first play from scrimmage, it was clear Herbert would have his work cut out for him, as defensive end Maxx Crosby forced a fumble that the Chargers recovered.

The Raiders went on to play their finest game on defense, not allowing a touchdown until the fourth quarter. The defensive front built on their solid performance last week (as did the Las Vegas offensive line), and was an imposing force all afternoon.

The unit had five sacks, five tackles for loss, and 14 QB hits. The pressure allowed the defensive backs more room for error, and Herbert had just one touchdown and a pedestrian 88.5 QB rating.

Winner: DB Nate Hobbs and S Duron Harmon

The Raiders took control of the game in the third quarter, and it started with a forced turnover from the silver and black. Cornerback Nate Hobbs, in his first game back from the injured reserve, recovered a fumble after safety Duron Harmon punched the football loose.

 

Adams caught a 31-yard TD on the very next play and Las Vegas was ahead for good.

Loser: CB Amik Robertson

Chargers WR Keenan Allen said the Raiders secondary would be “barbequed chicken” if they covered him one-on-one on Sunday. But for much of the day, Allen was quiet — until Herbert made an incredible touchdown throw to Allen at the expense of cornerback Amik Robertson.

Robertson’s coverage was solid, but he took the “L” on this play, as he was all alone with Allen in the end zone. Thankfully for him, Robertson’s squad got the “W” and put a dent in Allen’s plans for the playoffs.

Loser: C Andre James

Center Andre James and the offensive line allowed zero QB sacks and just two QB hits, but James is on the Loser list for a high snap as the Raiders’ offense was still trying to hit its stride.

It was on a 3rd-and-5 play as Las Vegas trailed, 10-7. The Raiders still notched a field goal on the drive, but anytime James botches a snap, he’s in danger of earning an “L” from this column.

Loser: Kicker Daniel Carlson

Kicker Daniel Carlson was 2-for-3 on his field goals and hit all of his extra points. But he missed his first-ever kick at Allegiant stadium, breaking a streak of 47 makes in a row.

His record was impressive, however, in comparison with other kickers in league history. He rebounded nicely, too, as he returned to hit a fourth-quarter field goal that gave the Raiders a seven-point lead.

This was the Raiders’ finest performance of the season, and though it appeared they might blow it late, as they have in other games this year, Las Vegas held on. Just like last week’s win in Seattle, they overcame a slow start and got an impressive win.

Perhaps the rest of their season can unfold in a similar fashion. The Raiders got off to an awful start and dug themselves a 2-7 hole. But after three straight wins, Las Vegas has an opportunity to finish strong and maybe even earn a winning record.

McDaniels has to have his team ready to play Thursday night against the struggling Rams, but Las Vegas should be favored to win that game, just as they were favored against the Chargers. Can they win four in a row? Right now, I wouldn’t bet against them.

Raiders winners and losers in 24-19 defeat vs. Chargers

Raiders winners and losers in 24-19 defeat vs. Chargers

The Raiders’ new-look offense got off to a hot start on Sunday against the Chargers, as wide receiver Davante Adams caught multiple passes from quarterback Derek Carr right out of the gate and looked good doing so.

But then, reality hit Las Vegas.

The offense slowed to a near halt, due largely to an inept offensive line, and the Raiders fell behind 24-10 by the third quarter. When Carr tried to lead them back, he threw two fourth-quarter interceptions (he had three overall), contributing to a 24-19 loss in coach Josh McDaniels’ debut.

Here are this week’s winners and losers as the Raiders fall to 0-1 to open the campaign.

Winner: WR Davante Adams

Adams looked sensational, especially at the game’s start and its finish. He had four catches for 59 yards in the first quarter, including an 11-yard grab on the Raiders’ first play on offense.

He had a beautiful 41-yard catch and run in the third quarter that helped the Raiders score their first touchdown of the season, a Carr pass to running back Brandon Bolden. And in the fourth quarter, Adams made a gorgeous touchdown grab to tighten the score.

Adams finished with 10 catches for 141 yards and a touchdown on 17 targets. And as crazy as it sounds, Carr perhaps should have gone to him more. He’s definitely as good as advertised and poised to have a huge season statistically.

Winner: CB Nate Hobbs

After Carr threw his two fourth-quarter interceptions, the Raiders were, miraculously, still in a position to win. But the defense needed to make yet another big play. Cornerback Nate Hobbs was up to the task. He made a picturesque pass breakup on a huge 3rd-and-3 play, knocking the ball away from Los Angeles WR Mike Williams.

Hobbs looked fantastic all day, racking up nine tackles (six solo) two tackles for loss, and his fourth-quarter PBU. It appears he’s ready to build on his tremendous rookie season as he enters year two.

Winner: Raiders defense 

Though this was a tough loss for Las Vegas, the entire defense did all it could to allow Carr and the offense to storm back.

Roderic Teamer allowed tight end Gerald Everett to score a skillful 18-yard touchdown at the 6:42 mark of the third quarter, but the Chargers, led by star QB Justin Herbert, didn’t score again.

After Carr’s first fourth-quarter interception, the Raiders forced a punt. Carr was picked again, and the Chargers could only travel 18 yards on seven plays and missed a long field goal. It was a positive sign for a unit with new players and a brand-new scheme.

Defensive end Maxx Crosby and defensive tackle Bilal Nichols deserve shoutouts, too, as they each made their presence felt up front, especially on a sequence in the second quarter. Nichols notched a tackle for loss on 3rd-and-short and Crosby stuffed Herbert on a 4th-and-1 QB sneak attempt.

Loser: QB Derek Carr

Unfortunately, Carr threw the first of his three interceptions after that (seemingly) pivotal sequence from Nichols and Crosby. He underthrew tight end Darren Waller, who looked to be behind the Chargers defense.

In fact, all of Carr’s interceptions appeared to be underthrown. In an unpredictable development, his three miscues were on targets to Waller, Adams, and Renfrow, his three top weapons.

Carr also had two unsightly fumbles to end the game, each on a QB sack allowed by his offensive line. While the Raiders didn’t have a single turnover in the preseason, Carr had three in one day, and it could have been more.

Loser: Offensive line

The Raiders offensive line looked suspect on paper. Somehow, it appears to be worse than we thought.

In their defense, the Chargers boast a strong front seven, led by Khalil Mack, who had three of LA’s six QB sacks. (LA also had nine QB hits.) But in a sight you’ll rarely see, the Raiders tried multiple O-Line combinations during the game, seemingly grasping for any sort of solution.

The Raiders eventually tried four lineups, as Lester Cotton finished the game at right guard. Carr looked shook (understandably) until he got it together to bring the Raiders back late. But in the end, the line failed him again, as the Chargers ended the day for the Raiders offense with consecutive QB sacks and forced fumbles.

Loser: DE Chander Jones

The Raiders pass rush was a strength a season ago, and that was supposed to continue in 2022. The personnel (and scheme) is different, however, as Las Vegas acquired EDGE player Chander Jones and handed him a hefty contract.

He had one tackle for loss, a shoestring tackle in the fourth quarter, and a QB hit, but his impact was minimal. Plus, the Raiders failed to record a QB sack. That’s not all on Jones, but he’s supposed to make us forget about the pass-rusher the Raiders traded away, Yannick Ngakoue. So far, that’s not the case.

Loser: Josh McDaniels

McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler look foolish for not assembling a better offensive line prior to Week 1. And McDaniels, in particular, looked foolish calling a wide receiver pass when the Raiders were in scoring range and down big.

Thankfully for McDaniels, kicker Daniel Carlson bailed him out by nailing a 55-yard field goal to finish that drive. But for a coach that is supposed to be an offensive genius, that’s a terrible look. He’s lucky Carr or Adams didn’t get hurt, too.

Despite a bevy of bad moments for Las Vegas on Sunday, they still almost won. They had their share of good moments, too, especially in the second half.

But with a player as talented as Adams on the outside, the Raiders looked soft in the middle. If their offensive line can block, then the league will be put on notice. Right now, the questions surrounding that unit are louder than ever, and that’s saying quite a bit. They’ll have a chance to right the ship against the Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium next Sunday.

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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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