This was his third 100-yard-plus receiving game this season.
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Particular to Murray and Jones, Oakland also used that additional week to focus on improving their inconsistent run game. The rushing offense must be working well to have a shot against the defense of the Chargers.
Quarterback Phillip Rivers and his receivers have been putting the league on notice, especially last week when he threw for over 500 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to the Green Bay Packers. That wasn’t the case Sunday, as they were pushed around by Oakland before outscoring the Raiders 23-0 in the fourth quarter.
Both of these teams have shown flashes of what they’re capable of this season, but in a division where the Broncos are still undefeated, the flashes aren’t quite good enough anymore.
Rivers then heaved his second interception – after having none while throwing for 503 yards the previous week – and again, the Raiders cashed in.
He didn’t rule out sticking around San Diego, but he was dismissive of the city’s efforts, saying, “I think going forward if there’s a solution here in San Diego, it’s going to have to come from the citizens’ initiative process”. He couldn’t get the final 3 yards to tie the game, though, as his pass to Danny Woodhead in the closing seconds was batted down by rookie cornerback Damarious Randall. “(First-round pick) Amari Cooper is probably second, but he just doesn’t want to admit it”. Current score is 17-3.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS (2-3): Charles Woodson is one of those rare specimens that gets better with age.
The Chargers simply couldn’t do anything right in the first half. The Raiders always had a swagger, but in recent years, it seemed contrived. The drive culminating in that field goal had been a beauty, featuring a soaring 44 yard reception by Cooper at the seven yard line. Most learning moments for this team have come from losing, it is a different experience for them to get to learn how to finish better from a win.
We thought the Raiders needed more talent. It is embarrassing to watch this team try to tackle the ball carrier. It perfectly illustrated why the Raiders believe they have something very special in the rookie star.
Was it the fact that they were rolled by the Oakland Raiders, utterly dominated for most of the first three quarters?
San Diego drove down for another Lambo field goal to close the half, but the Raiders were well in control with their best first half since taking a 38-7 lead at Denver in 2010 of an eventual 59-14 win. Eventually though, Marquette King did have to make a few appearances. He finished with 289 passing yards going 24-31 with three touchdowns. Rookie Linebacker Neiron Ball has been the solution to the team’s inability to cover tight ends, but he left the game Sunday with an injury. The touchdown made the score 37-13, Oakland. A young quarterback carving up a decent pass defense.
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After the team’s exchanged field goals, the offense got clicking. Had the Chargers been more aggressive earlier in the game, perhaps they wouldn’t have had to play catch-up from such a wide margin.
