It seems like every game the Oakland Raiders play in 2016 comes down to the final minute, and Sunday's contest with the San Diego Chargers was no different.
As a result of a botched field goal attempt, the Oakland Raiders beat the San Diego Chargers 34-31 at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, notching their first win of the season at home, and improving their overall record to 4-1.
Next up on the schedule for the Silver and Black is another home matchup against a division foe, this time with the Kansas City Chiefs. However, before we shift our attention to Andy Reid and Alex Smith, let's take a look back at the playtime percentages from the win over the Chargers, and see what we can learn from the numbers.
Offense
Cooper Puts On A Show– Amari Cooper played 65 snaps (89%) in Sunday's win over the Chargers, finishing the game with six receptions, for a career-high 138 yards, and his first touchdown of the regular season. Cooper routinely was able to get separation from the Chargers defenders, and put himself in positive positions for Derek Carr, and while the second-year wideout was able to find the end zone once, he was just inches away from securing two more touchdowns throughout the afternoon. He was also a key cog in converting a critical two-point conversion later in the game as well.
Denver Kirkland Gets Some Run– The Raiders put tight end Lee Smith on the reserve/injured list last week, and following the move, Head Coach Jack Del Rio said it would take myriad players to replace the production of the physical tight end, and Sunday afternoon, rookie guard Denver Kirkland was one of the players tasked with helping fill the void. In total, Kirkland played 27 snaps (37%) in Sunday's win, lining up almost exclusively as an extra lineman, providing additional protection for Carr, and helping in the run game.
Richard And Washington Carry The Rock– With starting running back Latavius Murray unable to play because of a toe injury, the Raiders relied heavily on their tandem of rookie running backs, Jalen Richard and DeAndré Washington to handle the bulk of rushing duties against the Chargers. Richard played 23 offensive snaps (32%), while Washington played 37 (51%), and their carries were split nearly 50/50, with Richard carrying the ball eight times for 31 yards, and Washington carrying it nine times for 23 yards.
Defense
Riley Makes A Strong First Impression– After signing with the Raiders during the middle of last week, linebacker Perry Riley, Jr., played 51 defensive snaps in Sunday's win. In total, the veteran linebacker finished the Week 5 tussle with a team-high seven tackles, and a forced fumble. That's a pretty nice way to start your career in Silver and Black.
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Joseph Secures His First Interception **– Just five games into his NFL career, Karl Joseph has now secured his first interception as a professional. The pick came in the second quarter of Sunday's win, and along with his first interception, Joseph totaled six tackles, one pass defensed, one forced fumble, and one fumble recovery in the 50 snaps (96%) he played.
Stacy McGee Fills Up The Stat Sheet– There's an argument to be made that no Raider along the defensive line had a better game than McGee. In the 23 snaps (44%) that he played, the defensive tackle totaled four tackles, one-and-a-half sacks, two quarterback hits, and a pair of forced fumbles, and was a constant presence around both the football, and Philip Rivers.
