Raiders Blow Out Chargers in TNF Victory
The Raiders, who were coming off a 3-0 shutout loss four days prior against the Vikings, ran the Chargers out of Vegas in their 63-21 blowout victory on Thursday Night Football. In the first half alone, the Raiders scored more points (42) than what they had scored in a full game all season. For the Chargers, who drop to 5-9, the loss puts another dent in a disappointing 2023 season that has head coach Brandon Staley’s job security on thin ice and their starting quarterback out for the remainder of the season due to a broken finger on his throwing hand. With the win, the Raiders improve to 6-8 and keep their minuscule playoff hopes alive as they enter Week 16. Let’s take a look at how the Raiders put together a dominant performance to come out with the victory.
The Raiders would begin their onslaught of scoring on their first drive of the game which ended in a one-yard touchdown run by running back Zamir White to take a 7-0 lead. Following a forced fumble, by the Raiders’ defense on backup quarterback Easton Stick, the Raiders would extend their lead to 14-0 on a 30-yard pass from quarterback Aidan O’Connell to wide receiver Tre Tucker in the first quarter. The Chargers would fumble the football on their second consecutive drive after running back Joshua Kelly rushed for four yards on the first play of the drive. The Raiders would take advantage of the turnover and convert their third touchdown of the quarter on a 22-yard pass to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to extend their lead to 21-0.
In the second quarter, the Raiders would build onto their lead, extending it to 28-0 on an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Michael Mayer with nine minutes left in the half. The Raiders would increase their lead to 42-0 entering halftime following a 26-yard touchdown run by running back Brandon Bolden and a 20-yard touchdown pass to Tucker, for his second touchdown reception of the game. Starting the second half, the Raiders would continue their demolition of the Chargers with a third consecutive touchdown drive ending in a three-yard pass to star wide-out Davante Adams to extend their lead to 49-0. Ultimately, the Chargers would get on the board with a 79-yard-deep pass to wide receiver Joshua Palmer to cut the deficit to 49-7. On the final play of the third quarter, the Raiders defense would force a stripped sack of Stick that was returned for a touchdown by defensive tackle John Jenkins to increase their lead to 56-7.
The Chargers would turn the football over for the fifth time of the game to begin the fourth quarter on a Stick interception to cornerback Jack Jones that resulted in a 16-yard return for a touchdown extending the Raiders’ lead to 63-7 with 14 minutes left in the game. The Chargers would score two more touchdowns before the completion of the game on a 13-yard pass to wide receiver Alex Erickson and a six-yard pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston. In the game, Raiders’ quarterback Aidan O’Connell went 20 for 34, with 248 passing yards and four touchdowns. The Raiders got major production from their wide receiver group with four different players (Adams, Tucker, Mayer, and Meyers) scoring at least one touchdown. In his first career start for the Chargers, quarterback Easton Stick went 23 for 32, with 257 passing yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. The lone bright spot from the offense came from wide receiver Joshua Palmer, who had four receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown.
