The Las Vegas Raiders Fall to the Los Angeles Chargers 24-19

Quarterback Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers got a measure of payback against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Herbert passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns as the Chargers, knocked out of the playoffs by the Raiders in the last game of the 2021 season, opened the new year with a 24-19 victory over the AFC West rival on Sunday at Sofi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif.

Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, reunited with his college teammate Devante Adams, tried to keep the Silver and Black in the game by throwing for 295 yards and two touchdowns, but he also three interceptions and was sacked by five times—including on each Raiders’ last two plays as they tried to rally in the closing minutes.

Even though the Raiders went down to defeat, Raider Nation has to be thrilled with Adams’ debut after being acquired from the Green Bay Packers, as he caught 10 passes for 141 yards including a three-yard touchdown that got Las Vegas close with 4:32 left in the game.

However, after the Raiders stopped the Chargers and got the ball back, the Los Angeles defense led by a former Raiders star rose up and finished things off.

Mack, perhaps the best edge rusher in the game, had three of the Chargers’ sacks against his good friend Carr, in addition to making five tackles, having four quarterback hits, and forcing a fumble.

Mack’s sack virtually ended the game with 1:52 left as Carr was attempting to drive the Raiders down the field for one of his patented four-quarter comeback victories, of which he has 24 in his career.

The Chargers never trailed, as Herbert drove them down the field to a 43-yard field goal by Dustin Hopkins, but the Raiders responded on their first possession and a 23-yard field goal by reliable Daniel Carlson with 2:29 left in the first quarter.

However, Herbert put the Raiders ahead for good with a one-yard touchdown pass to tight end Zander Horvath with 9:34 left in the second quarter and increased the lead to 17-3 at halftime with a 23-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Deandre Carter with 35 seconds left before the break.

Carter’s touchdown came two plays after Carr threw one of his three picks to linebacker Drue Tranquill, who returned the ball 20 yards to set the Chargers up at the Las Vegas 30-yard-line with 45 seconds left. After Herbert hit Carter for seven yards, he found down the middle on the next play for the touchdown.

Carr threw an 18-yard scoring pass to running back Brandon Bolden on a 75-yard scoring pass on the first series of the second half, but Herbert and the Chargers responded with a 73-yard scoring drive of their own, capped by an 18-yard scoring pass to tight end Gerald Everett with 6:42 left in the third quarter.

Carlson kept the Raiders close with a 55-yard field goal, his 25th straight without a miss dating to last season and it was 24-13 with 1:30 left in the third.

After Adams’ first touchdown with the Raiders in the final five minutes, the Raiders went for two but Carr’s pass for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow made it virtually impossible for Las Vegas to win on a field goal by Carlson—something he did five times last season.

Running back Josh Jacobs, slowed by injuries last season, showed some of the flashes of his first two seasons by rushing 10 times for 57 yards and catching one pass for 16 yards, while the Raiders limited Austin Ekeler to 34 yards in 14 carries, but he caught four passes for 36 yards.

Tight end Darren Waller, who missed the entire preseason, had four catches for 79 yards and wide receiver Hunter Renfrow had three for 21. Wide receiver Keenan Allen led the Chargers with four receptions for 44 yards before leaving because of a hamstring injury, and Carter had three for 64 yards and the touchdowns.

Safety Johnathan Abram led the Raiders with 12 tackles, while defensive end Maxx Crosby had 10 plus two quarterback hits but Silver and Black did not sack Herbert, and cornerback Nate Hobbs made nine stops, including two for losses.

Safety Derwin James led the Chargers with six tackles including a sack, while Joey Bosa, Mack’s running mate on the other side of the field had three tackles and 1½ sacks.

The Raiders will play their home opener at 1:25 p.m. (PDT) next Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

The rematch against the long-time rival Chargers will be played at 1:25 p.m. PDT on Sunday, Dec. 4, also at Allegiant Stadium.

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