RB Darren McFadden set a team record for most receptions by a running back with 13. AP Photo.
The San Diego Chargers defeated the Oakland Raiders on ESPN's Monday Night Football to open the 2012 Regular Season. RB Darren McFadden caught 13 passes, a record for Raiders running backs, WR Rod Streater hauled in his first TD catch as a pro and K Sebastian Janikowski booted two field goals but it wasn't enough.
The Raiders won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. RB Taiwan Jones bobbled and scooped up K Nate Kaeding's opening kickoff and returned it 6 yards to the Oakland 14. Several plays later, the Raiders drive came to an end when Streater fumbled while fighting for extra yardage. San Diego took the field at their own 29.
The Raiders held the Chargers to a three-and-out thanks to a DE Matt Shaughnessy sack on 3rd down. Defensive back Phillip Adams returned the 53-yard P Mike Scifres punt 15 yards to the Oakland 35. The Raiders drive stalled and K Sebastian Janikowski came on and drilled a 51-yard field goal to cap a 7-play, 33-yard drive to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead with 4:46 left in the 1st quarter.
WR/KR Richard Goodman fielded Janikowski's ensuing kickoff five yards deep and returned it to the San Diego 21. The Chargers drove to the Raiders 5 before the Raiders defense forced a 23-yard Kaeding field goal attempt. The kick was good and the game was tied 3-3 with 1:00 left in the first quarter.
Jones fielded Kaeding's ensuing kickoff 6 yards deep and took a knee for a touchback. A personal foul on the Raiders after the kickoff backed them up to the 10. A 25-yard loss on a Jones fumbled exchange on a reverse set the Raiders back to their own 8. Two plays later, P Shane Lechler came on to punt. After Lechler's 62-yard punt, WR Eddie Royal's return and an illegal block in the back penalty, the Chargers took over at their own 10.
QB Philip Rivers led a 90-yard drive in 13 plays and found WR Malcolm Floyd for a 6-yard TD pass. The extra point was good and San Diego led 10-3 with 3:10 left in the 2nd quarter.
Jones let the ensuing kickoff bounce through the end zone for a touchback. Janikowski capped the 78-yard, 14-play drive with a 19-yard field goal to cut San Diego's lead to 10-6 with 4 seconds left in the 2nd quarter. Goodman's return of the ensuing kickoff ended the half.
Goodman returned the opening kickoff of the 3rd quarter 34 yards to the 29. The Raiders held the Chargers to a three-and-out and took over after a Scifres punt and an Adams fair catch at the Oakland 7. The Raiders drive stalled at midfield and Lechler came on to punt. LB Travis Goethel's snap skipped and Lechler was tackled at the Oakland 39 where San Diego took over.
The Chargers capitalized with a 28-yard Kaeding field goal which gave the visitors a 13-6 lead with 6:01 left in the 3rd quarter.
Jones fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone and downed it for a touchback. The Raiders went three-and-out and Lechler came on to punt. Lechler's punt was blocked and San Diego took possession deep in Raiders territory. The Raiders defense held and Kaeding came on for a short field goal. The 19-yard FG gave San Diego a 16-6 lead with 1:49 left in the 3rd.
Jones fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone for a touchback. The Chargers held the Raiders to a three-and-out and Lechler came on to punt. Eddie Royal returned the 52-yard punt to the San Diego 45. The Chargers settled for Kaeding's 41-yard field goal which gave them a 19-6 lead with 12:48 left in the game.
The Raiders next drive stalled at midfield and Lechler came on to punt. The snap skipped along the ground and the Chargers took over at the Raiders 42. Kaeding's 45-yard field goal gave the Chargers a 22-6 lead with 5:06 left in the game.
Jones fielded the ensuing kickoff in the end zone for a touchback. Palmer led an 80-yard scoring drive which he capped with a 2-yard TD pass and a 2-point conversion to WR Rod Streater to cut San Diego's lead to 22-14 with 54 seconds left.
The Chargers recovered the onside kick at their own 42. The Raiders forced a punt that the Chargers downed at the Raiders 5 as time expired.
The Raiders fall to 0-1 on the season and head to Miami next weekend to face the Dolphins at Sun Life Stadium.
