The Raiders came into today's game looking for their first win of the season in interim head coach Tony Sparano's first game, and they played like a motivated squad.
Oakland traded touchdowns with the heavily-favored Chargers for three quarters, and were able to grab the 28-21 lead early in the fourth.
San Diego answered with a field goal to cut the lead to four, and later drove down the field to take the lead with under two minutes to play. The Raiders were driving, looking for a field goal to send the game into overtime, but rookie quarterback Derek Carr threw an interception that ended that game.
Turning Point: Trailing 28-24, the Chargers forced Oakland to punt with under five minutes to play. Keenan Allen returned the kick 29 yards to the Raider 39-yard-line, putting San Diego in position for the game-winning score.
Key Stat: This game was a back-and-forth contest throughout, but San Diego's overwhelming time of possession was the difference in this one. They had the ball for 35:45, wearing out the Raider defense, which they used to drive down the field to win the game in the fourth quarter.
San Diego MVP: Philip Rivers continues to lead this Chargers team, finishing 22-34 passing for 313 yards and three touchdowns. Most importantly, he led his team down the field late in the fourth quarter to win the game.
Oakland MVP: Derek Carr had his best game as a pro, going 18-34 for 283 yards and four touchdowns, though his interception at the end of the game killed any hope the Raiders had of a game-tying field goal. Still, he was the catalyst for Oakland's outstanding performance in this game.
What’s Next? San Diego will try and keep up with Denver with a divisional showdown against the Chiefs next week, while the Raiders will continue to look for their first win of the year against a tough Arizona team.
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