Oakland Raiders Hold Off Chargers Late Surge, Win 27-17
Oct 6, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Ronnie Brown (23) is stopped short of the goal line against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders finally got a taste of the playoffs before their matchup with the San Diego Chargers. Unfortunately, it was the MLB playoffs that affected them, not the NFL playoffs. In the time share for O.co coliseum, the Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers game was postponed seven hours for maintenance to clear up the field before the Raiders game.
This change did not seem to negatively affect the Raiders as they took the win at home 27-17.
The Raiders got off to a fast start.
Rod Streater caught a 44-yard touchdown pass from Terrelle Pryor within the first two minutes to get them on the board. After a Chargers punt, Pryor led the Raiders on an 88-yard drive capped off by a touchdown pass to Denarious Moore. Pryor was 8/8 with 105 yards and two touchdowns after their first two drives.
In the second quarter the Chargers started to find their offensive rhythm. They drove through the Raiders defense only to be stopped on fourth down at the one yard line. A great drive turned into zero points.
The Raiders fast start would extend to the second quarter. Even the first time the Raiders punted, Chargers Eddie Royal muffed the ball, recovered by the Raiders. The Raiders went on to convert a Sebastian Janikowski field goal, giving them a 17-0 lead.
The Raiders would take this 17-0 lead into halftime, marking the first time since 2008 that the Raiders held the Chargers scoreless in the first half. The Chargers needed an effective halftime speech and second half gameplan to come back and win this game.
The Chargers struck first in the second, as Philip Rivers found Keenan Allen in the back of the endzone after an emphatic 91 yard drive. This play was reversed, however, on the review, when it was determined Allen’s knee came down out of bounds. This forced the Chargers to settle for a field goal, cutting the lead to two touchdowns, but still not creating a significant dent in the lead.
After a Raiders punt, the Chargers seemed to have the momentum. This changed quickly, when a Danny Woodhead fumble was returned for a touchdown by Charles Woodson, who tied the record for most defensive touchdowns in a career (13). The momentum once again turned in favor of the Raiders.
The Chargers would begin to chip at the Raiders lead with a Danny Woodhead touchdown run to start the fourth quarter. A Rivers touchdown pass to Keenan Allen would bring the Chargers back into the game, making it a one possession game, 24-17. All of a sudden, the Chargers looked dangerous for the first time in the game.
The Raiders managed a response. Terrelle Pryor avoided pressure on third and fourteen finding Bryce Butler for a first down. They later got the all-important field goal from Janiowski returning the game to a two possession difference.
The game was sealed when Rivers tossed a potential touchdown pass to D.J. Hayden, who came up with the interception.
This game was a tale of two halves for the Raiders. Great offensive and defensive performances in the first half were almost offset by poor second half performances by both units. Despite not being able to stop the Chargers offense (Rivers threw for 411 yards), the Raiders defense made enough big plays to get the win.
Terrelle Pryor’s impressive first half did not carry over past halftime but he still finished 18/23 with 221 yards and two touchdowns, sealing the Raiders starting job.
The Raiders clawed their way back to 2-3, a meeting with the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs up next.