Las Vegas Raiders shut down Chargers in dominant 27-20 win
The Las Vegas Raiders avenged their season-opening loss with a dominant 27-20 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on both sides of the ball.
In what feels like a growing annual tradition at Allegiant Stadium, the Las Vegas Raiders handed the Los Angeles Chargers a blow to their playoff hopes thanks to a 27-20 win on Sunday. There was plenty of chirping coming from the Chargers’ side heading into this matchup, but it was the Silver and Black who would have the last word as they avenged their loss back in Week 1.
The rivalry between the Raiders and Chargers has felt like a high-scoring rollercoaster in recent memory, but on Sunday it was largely a dominant performance that skewed toward Las Vegas. After the Silver and Black largely paid for their mistakes for much of this season, the Raiders were quick to shrug off some early blunders to start the game.
A 26-yard interception return and a subsequent field goal, later on, had put the Chargers up 10-0 early, but the Raiders were quick to land a counter punch. A Josh Jacobs 20-yard touchdown run helped propel Las Vegas to trim the deficit to just three points by halftime. Los Angeles, who averages 24.8 points per game on the road this season, found their offense stymied for much of the game.
Much of the Chargers’ first-half sluggishness on offense can be attributed to Chandler Jones, who put on the type of performance that many Raiders fans were expecting heading into the season. The veteran pass rusher, who totaled just one sack in his previous 11 games this season, finished with three in the first half alone. Jones finished with six total tackles, two for a loss, and five quarterback hits.
But while the Raiders’ defense held its own through the first two quarters, it was a joint effort with the offense that opened the floodgates in the second half.
Raiders’ Jacobs and Adams combine for 321 yards of offense in 27-20 win
An Austin Ekeler fumble to start the second half set up Derek Carr and the Raiders in excellent field position, with Las Vegas’ signal-caller connecting with his WR1 not long after. Carr needed just one play to find Davante Adams on a highlight-worthy 31-yard touchdown pass to give Las Vegas a lead it would never relinquish. And for good measure, Carr connected with Adams once more on a 45-yard touchdown throw to increase the Raiders’ lead to 24-13.
Adams finished with eight catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns, while Jacobs continued torching the Chargers’ vulnerable run defense with 26 carries for 144 yards and a score. Las Vegas’ one-two punch combined for 321 yards of offense at the expense of their AFC West rival. Despite a Keenan Allen touchdown that briefly gave the Chargers some hope, Las Vegas’ defense held on to move to 5-7 on the season.
The Raiders are riding a three-game winning streak for the first time this season, but they will have little time to celebrate this win. Las Vegas embarks on a short week as they travel to face the injury-plagued Los Angeles Rams on Thursday Night Football. While the Silver and Black can’t get too ahead of themselves, they are playing their best brand of football yet and will look to carry the momentum and finish the rest of the season on a high note.