Raiders pull out 26-24 win over Chargers: Studs and duds
The Raiders beat the Los Angeles Chargers in their last prime time game at the Oakland Coliseum on Thursday night.
OAKLAND — Josh Jacobs scored on an 18-yard run with 1:02 to play and the Raiders gave their late-night fans something to remember them by in a 26-24 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at the Coliseum.
The last prime time game in Oakland ended when Karl Joseph made a leaping interception of a Philip Rivers pass — the last one a familiar rival will throw in a venue where he came in with a 9-4 career record. It touched off a celebration which found coach Jon Gruden making his way to the Black Hole.
It’s a tradition after wins that never gets old for the Raiders head coach.
“I’ve got face paint all over me. I got to see some costumes I had not seen before at any football games,” Gruden said. “It’s awesome.”
The Chargers for the most part bottled up the Raiders running game and made things difficult for quarterback Derek Carr. But a 76-yard, 10-play drive at the end of the first half and a 75-yard, 10-play drive at the end of the game made the difference.
That wouldn’t have been enough had it not been for a defensive effort that included two interceptions by Erik Harris, one which set up a field goal and the other which he returned 56 yards for a touchdown.
After Jacobs’ scoring run, Daniel Carlson missed the extra point, but the Raiders held the Chargers in check to win the game. In fact, the Chargers had only five yards on their last eight plays — and those came on defensive holding call by Trayvon Mullen.
Rivers finished 17 of 31 for 207 yards and touchdown passes of two yards to Hunter Henry and six yards to Austin Ekeler.
“We had eight snaps and went no yards,” Rivers said. “Went zero yards. That sums it up.”
Some studs and duds as the Raiders improved to 5-4, a game behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West, and the chargers fell 4-6.
STUDS
Erik Harris: Intercepted a Philip Rivers pass on Chargers opening possession and returned it 59 yards to set up a 40-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson. Then intercepted another Rivers pass and ran it back 56 yards for a touchdown with 6:02 left in the first quarter for a 10-0 Raiders lead.
Harris became the first Raiders player to have two interception returns for touchdowns in a season since Thomas Howard in 2007. Harris had a 30-yard return for a score in the Raiders’ Week 4 win over Indianapolis.
HARRIS
HARRI
HARR
HAR
HA
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HO
HOU
HOUS
HOUSE
HOUSED@e_harris_30 | #LACvsOAK pic.twitter.com/mmm5FxC9xy
— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) November 8, 2019
Derek Carr: Carr did three things of note — led the scoring drives at the end of each half and didn’t turn the ball over. He was 21 of 31 for 218 yards and a 9-yard touchdown pass to Alec Ingold that put the Raiders up 17-14 at halftime.
“That was an old-school, AFC bloodbath basically,” Carr said. “Just two defenses playing out of their mind, and we found a way to win.”
Josh Jacobs: Bottled up for much of the game, Jacobs scored the game-winning touchdown, ended with 71 yards on 16 carries and caught three passes for 30 yards.
“The whole game I was waiting for that one play to break,” Jacobs said. “They were playing pretty good defense and it just happened to be that play.”
Jacobs for six!#LACvsOAK | #RaiderNation pic.twitter.com/M6RkrwFJxC
— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) November 8, 2019
Maxx Crosby: Shared a sack with Clelin Ferrell against Rivers in the first quarter, then came in low and had his arms wrapped around Rivers’ legs when he threw the pick to Harris that was returned for a 56-yard touchdown
The Raiders sacked Rivers a season-high five times.
“Thing with him is you have to be in his face the whole game and try and get him flustered,” Crosby said. “We just kept coming until the final whistle blew. It was huge.”
Clelin Ferrell: The Raiders No. 4 overall pick at least temporarily silenced a lot of critics with 2 1/2 sacks. He had one sack coming in.
“Sack totals are driving me nuts. He does a lot more than just rush the passer,” Gruden said. “It was a signature game for him, obviously . . . maybe some of the people counting sacks out there will acknowledge this.”
Alec Ingold: Had a pair of unnecessary roughness calls, but vindicated himself on final drive of the first half.On a fourth-and-1 from the Chargers 40-yard line, Ingold gained three yards for a first down conversion. It was his fifth carry of the season — and all have been for first downs in short-yardage. Ingold capped the 76-yard, 11-play drive by catching a Carr pass and scoring the first touchdown of his career.
Fullback TD!
— Oakland Raiders (@Raiders) November 8, 2019
DUDS
Raiders offensive line: On a night where their projected starting five was intact, with Rodney Hudson (ankle) and Trent Brown (knee) starting, the Chargers stuffed the Raiders running game and made things difficult for Carr all night.
Kolton Miller had a holding penalty and struggled occasionally in pass protection. Gabe Jackson had an uneven performance at right guard.
“Our defense stepped it up,” Miller said. “They won this game.”
Raiders penalties: A whopping eight for 77 yards in the first half, and some costly ones, too. A Crosby offsides erased a third interception by Harris. Two unnecessary roughness calls on Ingold on special teams helped put the Chargers ahead 14-10. Ferrill had two neutral zone infractions within four plays. The Raiders finished with 12 penalties for 97 yards.
Gruden’s challenges: On a play where Crosby hit Rivers while throwing on the opening drive, officials ruled an incomplete pass. Gruden threw the challenge flag, believing Rivers’ arm hadn’t gone forward. The replay official upheld the original call. Gruden, who takes his cue from former NFL official Gerry Austin in the booth, is 0-for-7 on challenges.
Fourth-and-1: With the Raiders facing fourth-and-1 from the Chargers’ 35 in the third quarter, Gruden opted to send Daniel Carlson to attempt a 53-yard field goal rather than go for the first down in a game they led 20-14. Carlson missed. The Raiders had opened the drive at the 43 after a poor Chargers punt.
The Raiders defense stepped up and forced a Chargers punt.
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