CARR TROUBLE
Mariota replaces injured Carr in first half; Raiders lose in overtime
The Raiders trusted their defense Thursday night and now, for all practical purposes, their playoff chances are dead.
Justin Herbert completed a 53-yard pass to Jalen Guyton against Keisan Nixon to set up the Chargers at the 1, and then Herbert scored on sneak for the winning touchdown.
Marcus Mariota came off the bench to lead the Raiders in the absence of injured quarterback Derek Carr, passing for 226 yards and rushing for 88, but when Daniel Carlson kicked a 23-yard field goal on fourthand-goal from the 4, it set up the Chargers with a chance to win
the game. By overtime rules, a touchdown, rather than a field goal, would have won the game for the Raiders.
Trayvon Mullen was called for a 20-yard pass interference penalty for Herbert found Guyton open to the 2-yard line.
The Raiders scored on a 35yard pass from Mariota to Darren Waller, a 23-yard field goal by Carlson, a 1-yard dive by Josh Jacobs and a 2-yard leap by Mariota.
The Chargers got a 10-yard pass from Herbert to Hunter
Henry, a 26-yard pass to Tyron Johnson, a 22-yard field goal by Michael Badgley and a 1-yard run by Kalen Ballage.
At 7-7, the Raiders need to win at least one of their last two games to surpass their disappointing season of 7-9 a year ago.
Regardless, having lost four of their last five with the lone win coming against the winless Jets, it’s been another downward spiral to end the season.
The Chargers are 5-9, secure in the knowledge that they have a QB in Herbert who could potentially save the jobs of the coaching staff with a strong finish.
Highs, lows and all you need to know:
MARIOTA’S FIRST SERIES — OF THE SEASON >> Would you believe 86 yards in seven plays with a 35-yard touchdown strike to Waller. An absolute dime against pretty good coverage too.
QB rating for the drive: a perfect 158.3. Mariota was 3-for-3 for 70 yards, completing a 22-yard pass to Foster Moreau for his first completion as a Raider and 13-yarder to Waller. That didn’t include a 13-yard burst on an option for a first down where he broke a tackle to finish the run.
The TD was Mariota’s first since Sept. 29, 2019 for the Tennessee Titans to Corey Davis for 23 yards. CARR GOES OUT >> Carr had the Raiders knocking on the door, having driven the offense 70 yards in nine plays before coming up injured on third-and-goal from the 2. Carr had completed a 17yard pass to Jacobs and a 30yard third-down pass to Nelson Agholor.
The Raiders were forced to settle for Carlson’s 23-yard field goal as Carr headed in to the locker room to get checked.
The Chargers at that point defensively had allowed 18 consecutive touchdowns in goal-to-go situations.
Chargers go the distance: A 1-yard run by Ballage with 2:08 left in the third quarter put the Chargers back on top 24-17, capping a 75-yard drive that was preceded by TD drives of 78 and 49 yards.
Third-down conversions included a 19-yard Herbertto-Henry pass to the 12-yard line on third-and-5, and an Trayvon Mullen pass-interference call on thrid-and-9 from the 11 in the end zone to set up the TD.
JACOBS TIES IT >> The Raiders tied the score 17-17 on their first possession of the third quarter, Jacobs finishing a 76-yard, 10-play drive with a 1-yard leap in to the end zone with 7:18 left in the quarter.
Mariota converted a fourth-and-2 from the Char
gers 17-yard with a keeper to his left, and then Nelson Agholor drew a pass interference penalty in the end zone to set up Jacobs for the score.
The drive included a 25yard Mariota- to-Waller catch and run on thirdand-10 and a 26-yard run on a read option to the right from Mariota on the first play of the drive.
MARINELLI’S FIRST SERIES >> Rod Marinelli, the Raiders’ new defensive coordinator, got a rude welcome to the job. Herbert carved up the Raiders by going 6-for-6 for 75 yards and a 10-yard scoring pass to Henry. Henry’s other catch on the drive was a 14-yard completion in front of Nick Kwiatkoski on third-and-11. The Chargers ran six times for three yards on the drive. The Chargers used 7:29 on their opening drive, which came after a Raiders’ three-and-out.
The Raiders’ first drive ended on a rare miscommunication between Carr and Renfrow on third-and- 3, with Renfrow heading up field while Carr threw to the sideline.
LAWSON JOINS THE INACTIVE CREW >> Cornerback Nevin Lawson, who would have started in place of Damon Arnette (concussion) did not play due to illness. That left the Raiders thin at corner, although Daryl Worley was active for the first time.
UNCOMPLIMENTARY FOOT
BALL >> The Chargers led 1710 at halftime courtesy of a Raiders trifecta of poor football in all three phases.
First, on Mariota’s second possession, Theo Riddick was dumped for a 5-yard loss on first down, a play which essentially torpedoed the drive and led to a three-and-out when a Mariota completion to Hunter Renfrow came up way short.
Next, A.J. Cole, the Raiders usually reliable secondyear punter, shanked a 19yard kick which set up the Chargers at the Raiders 49yard line 1:00 to play.
That’s all Herbert needed to continue an onslaught that looked like a 9- on-7 camp drill. A 25-yard pass to K. J. Hill and a 26-yard scoring play to Tyron Johnson with 19 seconds left put the Chargers up 17-10.
Herbert finished the first half 16 of 20 for 194 yards and two touchdowns, in the process tying the NFL rookie record with his 27th TD pass of the season. DEFENSIVE STAND, SORT OF >> The Chargers responded to Mariota’s first drive with a 22-yard field goal by Badgley to tie the score 1010 with 1:52 left in the half.
Herbert carved the Raiders up until the Chargers stalled at the 3, and was 13 of 15 in the game for 145 yards until a third-and-goal play from the 4 went over the head of Keenan Allen, who wasn’t open against Worley.