The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders thanks to a different sturdy efficiency by quarterback Justin Herbert, who was in a position to overcome a poor begin for a 20-9 win. After beginning 1/5 passing with ten whole yards, Herbert completed the sport by finishing 18 of twenty-two passes for 237 yards, two TDs, and 26 dashing yards.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith made a expensive mistake on the primary offensive play of the sport, when he overthrew his receiver, and the ball bounced off one member of the Chargers protection and into the palms of one other. That interception was returned eight yards, resulting in a Los Angeles discipline objective to take a 3-0 lead after 1:17 of gameplay.
Geno Smith rebounded from that mistake. On the subsequent drive, he related with rookie vast receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. for 20 yards. Although they made it all the way down to the Chargers’ 26 yard line, LA edge rusher Khalil Mack recorded his first sack of the season, which compelled Las Vegas to accept a 54-yard discipline objective and a 3-3 tie. Since being traded away from the Raiders in 2018, Mack has 12.5 sacks in 9 video games towards the Silver and Black.
After lacking on 4 of his first 5 cross makes an attempt, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert lastly obtained again on observe. He accounted for 57 of LA’s subsequent 72 yards, together with a ten-yard landing cross to longtime Chargers wideout Keenan Allen for a 10-3 lead going into the second quarter. That was Allen’s second TD reception in as many video games.
Early within the second quarter, Vegas wideout Jakobi Meyers took a slant cross 25 yards deep into Chargers territory. That drive tapered out on the 13 yard line, so the Raiders kicked a chip-shot discipline objective to slender the hole to 10-6.
The Chargers broke this sport vast open popping out of the two-minute warning. Justin Herbert linked up with vast receiver Quentin Johnston for a 60-yard landing to increase their result in 17-6 with 1:51 to go within the second quarter. Johnston is presently tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with three on the season.
It was a tough evening for Geno Smith. He threw his second interception of the night with 1:03 left within the half, killing a drive that would have helped the Raiders make it a one-score sport earlier than the break. As an alternative, they went into halftime trailing by 11 factors. Smith completed the sport with 180 passing yards on 43 makes an attempt, three interceptions, and three sacks.
The Chargers got here out of halftime weapons blazing. They put collectively a 12-play, 72-yard scoring drive that included a 25-yard catch by Keenan Allen on a 4th and a pair of to extend their result in 20-6. That possession lasted 7:30, bringing the clock all the way down to the midpoint of the third quarter.
One way or the other, the Raiders’ following drive was even longer, in all probability as a result of it featured 5 totally different third-down conversions. Sadly for Vegas followers, that 19-play, 11:15 sequence solely netted the Black and Silver three factors to convey the rating to 20-9 within the fourth quarter.
The Chargers made their first huge miscalculation of the night within the fourth quarter. With 8:14 left within the sport, Los Angeles elected to go for a 4th and 1 at midfield. Nevertheless, Justin Herbert botched the hand-off to the operating again, which allowed the Raiders to stuff the play for a two-yard loss, giving Vegas’ offense the ball on the Chargers’ 43 with 8:10 remaining within the remaining body.
The Raiders wouldn’t be capable to reap the benefits of the error. Although they made it into the pink zone, a Geno Smith cross was knocked out of the palms of Jakobi Meyers by security Derwin James Jr. and picked off by cornerback Donte Jackson with 5:58 left within the sport. That was Smith’s third interception of the sport.
Following a fast three-and-out, the Raiders have been confronted with a 4th and three on their very own facet of the sector. Regardless of Geno Smith taking a poorly timed sack, it wouldn’t matter as a result of Las Vegas compelled a fumble on the very subsequent play and obtained the ball again with 3:45 to go within the fourth quarter.
As soon as once more, the protection’s efforts have been made in useless. Geno Smith was unable to seek out anyone open on a 4th and 5 from Vegas’ 34 yard line, so he ended up throwing the ball out of bounds, which closed the ebook on this sport.
With the win, the Chargers have taken sole possession of first place within the AFC West. In the meantime, the Raiders are actually tied for second place within the division with the Denver Broncos.
*Writer’s be aware: all info and statistics are tracked in actual time and are supplied by the sport’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*
