|
 On Sunday, however, it was just the Raiders giving the Chargers the
business.
Oakland dominated early and held on for a 37-29 win over the San
Diego in a Qualcomm Stadium that was evenly divided between the
teams' boosters.
"It felt like a home game," said Oakland quarterback David Carr, who
threw three touchdown passes. "Give credit to our fans."
The Raiders (3-3) and Chargers (2-5) are in talks to share a stadium
in the Los Angeles area. Before the move, though came a one-sided
Oakland win.
"Not much to say after a game like this," San Diego coach Mike McCoy
said. "Nothing good happened after the first play."
While McCoy called his team's play "pathetic" during a third
consecutive loss, the second-place Raiders gave notice: They are no
longer a pushover.
"It's great to come in here and get a road win within the division,"
Oakland coach Jack Del Rio said. "I thought really the first three
quarters of the game were very strong efforts in all three phases.
That's the longest we have sustained really good football."
Oakland handed San Diego its fifth AFC West loss in seven games.
"Coach Del Rio stresses just do your job," Carr said. "Don't do
anything outside yourself, and I though that's what we did, and it's
reassuring."
The Raiders were keen from the get-go, racing to a 30-6 halftime
lead as they dominated all three phases of the game.
They scored on their first seven drives and kept the Chargers from
the end zone until the fourth quarter.
"It was sickening how fast it happened," San Diego quarterback
Philip Rivers said.
The Chargers lost their previous two games in the final seconds.
That wasn't the case Sunday, as they were pushed around by Oakland
before outscoring the Raiders 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
Rivers completed 38 of 58 passes for 336 yards and three touchdowns.
He was intercepted twice, turnovers the Raiders converted into 10
points.
Carr finished with 289 passing yards, connecting on 24 of 31 passes
with no interceptions. Raiders rookie wide receiver Amari Cooper
caught five passes for 133 yards and a touchdown.
Oakland started the third quarter eager to show the first 30 minutes
weren't a fluke.
Wide receiver Michael Crabtree caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from
Carr to begin the half, pushing the Raiders' advantage to 37-6.
Chargers running back Danny Woodhead had two scoring catches and
tight end Ladarius Green added one in fourth quarter.
"It's not enough when you start like we did," Rivers said. "We dug
ourselves too deep of a hole to get out of."
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The Raiders took control of the game with a 20-point second quarter.
Carr hit tight end Clive Walford for a 23-yard touchdown two minutes
into the quarter for a 17-3 lead.
Rivers then heaved his second interception -- after having none
while throwing for 503 yards the previous week -- and again, the
Raiders cashed in.
This time, kicker Sebastian Janikowski was good from 32 yards for a
20-3 Raiders edge.
Janikowski delivered another field goal, this one from 31 yards, on
Oakland's next possession, padding the cushion to 23-3.
Cooper showed his speed and wiggle on a 52-yard scoring strike from
Carr. With numerous Chargers in pursuit, Cooper out ran most of them
and then saved a cutback move that removed safety Jimmy Wilson from
the equation. That put the Raiders ahead 30-3, and the Chargers
clearly were getting embarrassed on both sides of the football.
"It was just perfect," Cooper said. "When I caught the ball, I saw
that I had a lot of room. I saw the guys coming and I just made some
moves on them."
San Diego added kicker Josh Lambo's 44-yard field goal in the final
seconds of the first half. When heading into the locker room,
trailing by 24 points, the Chargers heard a barrage of boos.
Lambo's 40-yard, first-quarter field goal sliced the Chargers'
deficit to 10-3.
Janikowski kicked a 29-yard field goal with six minutes left in the
first quarter for a 10-0 advantage.
Running back Latavius Murray rushed over from the 1-yard line for a
7-0 lead on Oakland's first possession. The Raiders got the ball on
the first of Rivers' two interceptions.
NOTES: Chargers FS Eric Weddle (groin) missed his first start since
2009. ... San Diego TE Antonio Gates (knee) was a late scratch. ...
Chargers G Orlando Franklin sustained a knee injury in the fourth
quarter and left on a cart. ... Raiders NT Stacy McGee started in
place of Justin Ellis (ankle). ... Oakland signed DE Shelby Harris
from its practice squad and waived S Tevin McDonald.
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