The Oakland Raiders may have lost the game Sunday against the San Diego Chargers, but the team showed the grit and determination seldom seen so far this season.
The Raiders entered the game losing all four previous games this season and 11 games in a row, dating back to last season. They sit in last place in the tough AFC West. The Chargers, on the other hand, are sitting atop the AFC West and are one of the strongest teams in the league. The Raiders had been outscored 103-51 in their four previous losses, while the Chargers had outscored their opponents 133-63. The Chargers last game was a dominating 31-0 shutout over the New York Jets. All signs pointed to a convincing win by the Chargers.
New head coach Tony Sparano spent the bye week focusing on what his team does best. After last Sunday’s game Sparano said, “we just went back to the bye, said what do we do good? Who does them well? And let’s put those people in positions to do them.” This showed in the game, as the Raiders rushed for 114 total yards at an average of 5.7 yards per carry, finally taking advantage of Darren McFadden’s skills and Maurice Jones-Drew’s talent as a change of pace running back. McFadden averaged the same 5.7 yards per rush while Jones-Drew added an impressive 7.5 yards per attempt on just four carries. This shouldn’t come as a surprise, as Sparano coached the offensive line before being promoted to interim head coach and he likes to lean heavily on the run game.
The Raiders rookies came to play as well. Quarterback Derek Carr is the first rookie in franchise history to throw for four touchdowns in a single game, completing 18 passes out of 34 attempts for a total of 282 yards. His lone interception came near the end of the game as time was running out. Sparano talked about Carr after the game, saying, “He really, I thought, played well today. The kid is a competitive kid. He’s just getting better and better and better.” Offensive guard Gabe Jackson helped protect Carr (zero sacks allowed) and he was key opening holes in the running game. Prized rookie outside linebacker Khalil Mack had two tackles, including one for a loss. According to Pro Football Focus, Mack was credited with a season high four quarterback hurries. Defensive tackle Justin Ellis recorded three tackles, including one for a loss, and surprisingly, seventh-round pick T.J. Carrie impressed as both a kick returner and cornerback. “I felt T.J. out there challenging the football. I felt him around the ball on defense. And then of course in the special teams game. He helped us shorten the field a little bit and our offense took advantage in some of those situations,” Sparano said after the game.
The Chargers beat the Raiders 31-28, taking the lead with just 1:08 left on the clock, but the Raiders came to play and showed a lot of promise. The team was faster, fresher, and much more fundamentally sound. During his Monday press conference, Sparano said, “If those guys give me that kind of effort going forward here, this thing is going to turn.” The Raiders also g0t some much-needed help when D.J. Hayden returned to practice this week. The key now is to not have a letdown like they did against the Miami Dolphins after an impressive outing against the New England Patriots in Week 3. Turning in another impressive outing against the Arizona Cardinals this week, and possibly even getting that elusive win, would go a long way in salvaging what has so far been a very disappointing 2014 season.
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