Raiders RB Michael Bush drags Chargers safety Eric Weddle into the end zone on a 7-yard TD run. AP Photo.
RBs Michael Bush and Darren McFadden combined for almost 200 yards rushing as The Oakland Raiders swept the San Diego Chargers for the first time since 2001, and won in San Diego for the first time since the 2002 season. The Raiders came away with an emphatic, physical 28-13 victory over their arch-rivals.
The Chargers won the opening coin toss and elected to receive. RB Darren Sproles returned K Sebastian Janikowski's opening kickoff to the Chargers 18. After allowing one first down, the Raiders defense came up with a stop on 3rd and 13 and forced a punt. WR Johnnie Lee Higgins returned a P Mike Scifres 57-yard punt 16 yards to the Raiders 30.
The Raiders offense took the field with Jason Campbell at quarterback. The Chargers held the Raiders to a three and out. Sproles muffed the 46-punt and safety Hiram Eugene recovered for the Raiders at the San Diego 18. A pass to WR Louis Murphy, a RB Darren McFadden run and a Campbell scramble left the Raiders with 4th and 1 at the Chargers 9. Campbell sold a fake hand off up the middle to RB Michael Bush and scooted around left end for a touchdown on a naked bootleg. The extra point was good and the Raiders took a 7-0 lead with 8:35 left in the 1st quarter.
RB Jacob Hester returned janikowski's bouncing kickoff and a holding call on San Diego backed the Chargers up to their own 14. Three plays later, FS Michael Huff intercepted a QB Philip Rivers pass and returned it 15 yards to the San Diego 41.
Campbell capped an 11-play, 41-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown pass to rookie WR Jacoby Ford. The extra point was good and the Raiders led 14-0 with 30 seconds left in the first quarter.
Sproles returned the ensuing kickoff to the San Diego 31. K Nate Kaeding capped a 9-play, 48-yard drive with a 39-yard field goal to cut the Raiders lead to 14-3 with 11:05 left in the second quarter.
Ford returned the ensuing kickoff 23 yards out to the Raiders 35 but a holding penalty backed the Silver and Black up to their own 20. Bush finished the drive with a punishing 7-yard touchdown run as he dragged safety Eric Weddle into the end zone.
Sproles bobbled the ensuing kickoff and took a knee in the end zone for a touchback and San Diego's offense took the field at the 20. San Diego drove to the Raiders 31 before the Silver and Black's defense rose up and stopped the Chargers on 4th and 1. The Raiders took over at their own 32 with 1:37 left in the second quarter. A few plays later, RB Darren McFadden fumbled the ball back to San Diego who took over at the Raiders 39 with 1:08 left in the 2nd quarter.
The Raiders held on 3rd and 3 at the 32 and Kaeding came on and missed a 50-yard field goal attempt. The Raiders took over at their own 40 with 27 seconds left in the 2nd quarter.
Campbell took a knee and the Raiders took a 21-3 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Raiders took the opening kickoff of the second half but could not mount a scoring drive. CB Antoine Cason fielded the 31-yard punt at the San Diego 15. The Raiders allowed one first down before forcing a Scifres punt which Higgins returned to the Raiders 22.
The Raiders again moved into Chargers territory but were unable to score and Lechler's punt was downed at the San Diego 17. Kaeding cut the Raiders lead to 21-6 with a successful 33-yard field goal attempt with 44 second left in the 3rd quarter.
Ford returned the ensuing kickoff to the Oakland 25. The Raiders managed one first down before the Chargers forced a Lechler punt which flew over Cason's head and bounced through the end zone for a touchback. The Chargers took over at their 20.
San Diego cut into the Raiders lead when Rivers found TE Antonio Gates for a 4-yard scoring pass to cap a 6-play, 80-yard drive. The extra point made the score 21-13 in favor of the Raiders with 9:59 left to play.
RB Rock Cartwright fielded a short kickoff and returned it to the Raiders 38. RB Darren McFadden cashed in from seven yards out to cap a 7-play, 62-yard drive. The extra point was good and the Raiders led 28-13 with 4:35 left in the game. The score was set up by a 37-yard pass play to WR Louis Murphy.
Hester fielded the kickoff in the end zone and took a knee for a touchback. The Chargers were unable to mount a scoring drive and the Raiders took over on downs at the San Diego 43 with 2:57 left to play and proceeded to run out the clock.
The Raiders improve to 6-6 on the season and head to Jacksonville next week to face the Jaguars in 2010 Regular Season Week 14 action.
