Raiders' 63-Point Explosion vs. Chargers Makes Vikings Look Even Better

Four days after getting shut out by Brian Flores and the Minnesota Vikings, the Las Vegas Raiders set a franchise record for points on Thursday night when they scored nine touchdowns in a 63-21 victory over the Chargers. (Unsurprisingly, the Chargers fired head coach Brandon Staley and GM Tom Telesco the next morning).

To be fair, the Raiders' last two touchdowns were actually scored by their defense. But their offense had given them a 49-0 lead less than five minutes into the third quarter against a reeling Los Angeles team.

Obviously, the big story from that game is how the Chargers just completely fell apart and gave up in the final game of the Staley era. But it also makes what the Vikings did four days earlier even more impressive, doesn't it?

The Raiders had Josh Jacobs and Davante Adams and all of their skill position players available against the Vikings, and they couldn't put a single point on the board. They took four sacks and punted eight times and turned the ball over three times in that game. They had just 202 total yards of offense against Minnesota.

Then, suddenly, the Chargers come to Vegas and make the Raiders look like a completely different team. They had 141 yards in the first quarter alone and didn't turn the ball over all night. Their first nine possessions resulted in seven touchdowns (though a few did come with great starting field position). And they did all of that without Jacobs, last year's leading rusher in the NFL.

If that doesn't tell you how good Flores' defense has been this season, I'm not sure what will. The Vikings will be desperately hoping he doesn't land a head coaching gig this upcoming offseason.

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