Team Grades: Raiders Humiliate Chargers, Keep Pace In AFC West And NFL Playoff Picture
By Abraham Gutierrez
Coming in as six-point underdogs, the Oakland Raiders went into Qualcomm Stadium and stunned the San Diego Chargers to the tune of 37-29. The win improves the Silver and Black’s record to 3-3 on the year, which is good enough for second place in the AFC West, and trailing the division-leading (6-0) Denver Broncos by three-and-a-half games.
“It’s great to come in here and get a road win in the division,” said Raiders first-year head coach Jack Del Rio during his post-game presser. “I thought, really for the first three quarters of the game very strong efforts in all three phases. That’s the longest that we have sustained really good football as a team in all three phases.”
Offense: A+
Offensively, the Raiders recorded 19 first downs and 412 yards of total offense, which included 130 rushing yards and 282 passing. Oakland held on to the ball for 30 minutes and 49 seconds, and went 5-for-12 on third down situations. It was only the second time in the 2015 NFL season that the Raiders were able to get both the running and passing game going in the same game.
Second-year quarterback Derek Carr was sensational, connecting on 77 percent of his passes, going 24-for-31 for 289 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions for a cool quarterback of 137.7. The chemistry between AC/DC continues to blossom, as Carr and rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper were on the same page Sunday afternoon.
The former ‘Bama standout had a whale of a game, recording five receptions for 133 yards and a score. Former Niners wideout, Michael Crabtree was also instrumental on the win, tallying six catches for 63 yards and a touchdown.
ON the ground the Raiders were finally able to get the running game going, which made life easier for Carr and the offense; subsequently giving the defense some additional breathing time on the sideline. Combining for 120 of the Raiders’ 130 net rushing total were running backs, Latavius Murray (15 carries for 85 yards and a touchdown) and Taiwan Jones (three carries for 35 yards).
Defense: B+
Going up against Philip Rivers and the Bolts high-flying offense, one of the biggest concerns for Raider Nation was the possibility Oakland wouldn’t be able to keep up on the scoreboard. Luckily the defense took it upon itself and kept the Chargers out of the end zone until the final stanza.
Through three quarters the Raiders defense allowed only two field goals with the offense taking care of the rest, jumping out to a 37-6 run that put this game out of reach. Offensively, the Bolts were limited to 28 first downs, 417 yards of offense and lost the turnover battle 0-2.
Defensive standouts for Oakland include: Malcolm Smith (11 tackles, two pass defended, a sack and an interception), DJ Hayden (10 tackles, a pick and a pass defended), and David Amerson (five tackles, pass defended).
Special Teams: After an uncharacteristic off-week, kicker Sebastian Janikowski was back to his old ways. The franchise leading scorer finishing the game with a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points and went 3-for-3 on field goal attempts for a total of 13 points scored.
With so much offensive success, particularly in the early going, Raiders punter Marquette King had one of his easiest days as a pro, booting away 4 punts for an average of 38.0 yards per kick and a long of 44 yards.
Coaching: A-
Coming into Week 7 in desperate need to get the running game going, Del Rio and his staff did a tremendous job of situational running. The play-calling was great yet again, as the Raiders attack caught the Chargers defense by surprise on more than one occasion.
On the opposite side of the rock, the Raiders continue to get better defensively, especially against the rush. Defensive coordinator, Ken Norton Jr. appears to have everyone on the same page and competing hard for one another. And while the Chargers were able to make things close towards the end of the game, most of it came during “garbage time.”
“Let me tell you something about the NFL,” Del Rio added, “You’ll enjoy them all, enjoy all the wins, boys. Put a smile on your face and never apologize for a win, take that ‘W’ baby, you’ve earned it. That’s a hell of an effort. It really was.”
Looking Ahead To Raiders Week 8 Matchup
Coming off a crucial win, the Raiders return home to host the dangerous New York Jets next Sunday in the East Bay. Despite coming off a loss in Week 7, Todd Bowles has Gang Green playing some terrific football, as their defense is top notch, and Chris Ivory is a force to be reckoned with every time he steps on the field. The game will take place at the O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California, and it will be broadcast live on CBS starting at 1:05 p.m. PT.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.
