NFL: Justin Herbert Shakes Off Poor Start To Lead The Chargers To A Road Win Over The Raiders
With the victory, Los Angeles moved into first place in the AFC West divisional race.
The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders thanks to another strong performance by quarterback Justin Herbert, who was able to overcome a poor start for a 20-9 win. After starting 1/5 passing with ten total yards, Herbert finished the game by completing 18 of 22 passes for 237 yards, two TDs, and 26 rushing yards.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith made a costly mistake on the first offensive play of the game, when he overthrew his receiver, and the ball bounced off one member of the Chargers defense and into the hands of another. That interception was returned eight yards, leading to a Los Angeles field goal to take a 3-0 lead after 1:17 of gameplay.
Geno Smith rebounded from that mistake. On the next drive, he connected with rookie wide receiver Dont’e Thornton Jr. for 20 yards. Though they made it down to the Chargers’ 26 yard line, LA edge rusher Khalil Mack recorded his first sack of the season, which forced Las Vegas to settle for a 54-yard field goal and a 3-3 tie. Since being traded away from the Raiders in 2018, Mack has 12.5 sacks in nine games against the Silver and Black.
After missing on four of his first five pass attempts, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert finally got back on track. He accounted for 57 of LA’s next 72 yards, including a ten-yard touchdown pass 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 games.
Early in the second quarter, Vegas wideout Jakobi Meyers took a slant pass 25 yards deep into Chargers territory. That drive tapered out at the 13 yard line, so the Raiders kicked a chip-shot field goal to narrow the gap to 10-6.
The Chargers broke this game wide open coming out of the two-minute warning. Justin Herbert linked up with wide receiver Quentin Johnston for a 60-yard touchdown to extend their lead to 17-6 with 1:51 to go in the second quarter. Johnston is currently tied for the league lead in receiving touchdowns with three on the season.
It was a rough night for Geno Smith. He threw his second interception of the evening with 1:03 left in the half, killing a drive that could have helped the Raiders make it a one-score game before the break. Instead, they went into halftime trailing by 11 points. Smith finished the game with 180 passing yards on 43 attempts, three interceptions, and three sacks.
The Chargers came out of halftime guns blazing. They put together a 12-play, 72-yard scoring drive that included a 25-yard catch by Keenan Allen on a 4th and 2 to increase their lead to 20-6. That possession lasted 7:30, bringing the clock down to the midpoint of the third quarter.
Somehow, the Raiders’ following drive was even longer, probably because it featured five different third-down conversions. Unfortunately for Vegas fans, that 19-play, 11:15 series only netted the Black and Silver three points to bring the score to 20-9 in the fourth quarter.
The Chargers made their first big miscalculation of the evening in the fourth quarter. With 8:14 left in the game, Los Angeles elected to go for a 4th and 1 at midfield. However, Justin Herbert botched the hand-off to the running back, which allowed the Raiders to stuff the play for a two-yard loss, giving Vegas’ offense the ball at the Chargers’ 43 with 8:10 remaining in the final frame.
The Raiders wouldn’t be able to take advantage of the mistake. Though they made it into the red zone, a Geno Smith pass was knocked out of the hands of Jakobi Meyers by safety Derwin James Jr. and picked off by cornerback Donte Jackson with 5:58 left in the game. That was Smith’s third interception of the game.
Following a quick three-and-out, the Raiders were faced with a 4th and 3 on their own side of the field. Despite Geno Smith taking a poorly timed sack, it wouldn’t matter because Las Vegas forced a fumble on the very next play and got the ball back with 3:45 to go in the fourth quarter.
Once again, the defense’s efforts were made in vain. Geno Smith was unable to find anybody open on a 4th and 5 from Vegas’ 34 yard line, so he ended up throwing the ball out of bounds, which closed the book on this game.
With the win, the Chargers have taken sole possession of first place in the AFC West. Meanwhile, the Raiders are now tied for second place in the division with the Denver Broncos.
*Author’s note: all information and statistics are tracked in real time and are provided by the game’s broadcaster, NFL.com, and ESPN.com*