The Raiders have a team record 63 points against the struggling Chargers
LAS VEGAS – Four days after hitting rock bottom with a 3-0 loss to the Minnesota Vikings in the lowest scoring indoor game in NFL history, the Las Vegas Raiders shot against them Los Angeles Chargersand beat their AFC West rivals 63-21 on Thursday night while setting a franchise record for points scored in a game.
The 63 points were the third-most by a team in the Super Bowl era and the second-most in NFL history by a team shut out in the previous game, one point behind the 64 points scored by the 1934 Eagles against the Cincinnati Reds achieved.
The Raiders also scored the most points in a prime-time game since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
From zero to 63?
“I was thrilled,” Raiders interim coach Antonio Pierce said of the sour mood that surrounded the team after Sunday’s loss. “I had to slap myself to get rid of the anger, and [the players] got me out of trouble. They brought me along, and damn, we kicked some ass today.
“It became crazy.”
It was a complete meltdown as the Raiders ended a three-game losing streak, improving to 6-8 while scoring seven touchdowns on offense and two on defense. They had five takeaways and scored a touchdown after each one. The 35 points the Raiders scored are the most this century and equal to 2013 Kansas City Chiefs with the Raiders and the 2012 New England Patriots At the New York Jets in the infamous “Butt Fumble” play.
At halftime, the Raiders led 42-0.
At the recipient Jakobi Meyers Blow Davante Adams For a 3-yard touchdown pass that gave the Raiders a 49-0 lead in the third quarter, Meyers became the first non-QB this century to complete a pass with his team leading by at least 40 points. Meyers also became the second Raiders player in franchise history with a passing TD and a receiving TD in the same game, earning him induction into the Running Back Hall of Fame Marcus Allen in 1983 against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Raiders’ two defensive TDs – a 44-yard fumble return by defensive tackle John Jenkins and an acrobatic 16-yard pick-six from Jack Jones – were their first pairing in a game since 2006, when Nnamdi Asomugha and Chris Carr responded for points against interceptions Pittsburgh Steelers‘Ben Roethlisberger.
Raiders interim offensive coordinator Bo Hardegree moves from the field to the press box, rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell threw deep and overachieved.
“Obviously we had to make a change after last week’s performance,” Pierce said of moving Hardegree to a higher position. “And I think it worked out well for us.”
O’Connell, who started the day just 5 of 20 on passes of more than 20 yards with a TD and two interceptions, went 3 of 4 with three TDs on such passes in the first half. He is the first Raiders QB to throw three touchdowns of at least 20 yards in a game since ESPN began tracking air yards in 2006.
O’Connell finished 20 of 34 for 248 yards and four touchdowns, a career-best. He said the short week actually helped the Raiders get over the shutout loss to the Vikings because they couldn’t dwell on it.
“It was fun to watch and fun to be a part of,” said O’Connell, who posted a career-best passer rating of 120.7 after posting a 66.0 passer rating against the Vikings . “Sometimes the stars just align.”
Las Vegas, which had scored 20 points or fewer in 11 of 13 games, had eight players score touchdowns. Including the playoffs, this is the second-most total in a game in NFL history and the fifth time overall.
The Raiders were without an All-Pro running back Josh Jacobs (Quad), left tackle Kolton Miller (right shoulder) and middle Andrew James (right ankle) and get an extended break before facing the Chiefs on Christmas Day at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chargers had to do without their two best offensive players and their star quarterback Justin Herbert He is out for the season after undergoing surgery to repair a broken right index finger earlier this week and is the leading receiver Keenan Allen is out due to a heel injury.
In Herbert’s place Easton stick was 23 of 32 for 257 yards with three touchdowns, but also threw an interception and lost two fumbles.
Raiders right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor said there was “a lot of pent-up aggression” after he was excluded on Sunday.
“Last week sucked, I lost 3-0,” said Eluemunor, who shut out the Chargers’ edge rusher Khalil Mack after getting six of his league-leading 15 sacks against the Raiders in Week 4.
“This is damn embarrassing. …And everyone just wanted to get out here today and just…let it all out. Especially in a short week like this.”
Raiders All-Pro receiver Adams agreed.
“Of course we still have a lot to offer, but you have to be proud of your last name and the team you play for and that was all on our minds today,” he said after completing a game-high eight passes for 101 yards and the touchdown.
“We came together and found a way to do it right. The start was great, the defense came on the field and put them in their place right away, and I think we just snowballed what they’ve done all year.” We have to find a way to be a little more consistent on offense.
With the Miami Dolphins that beat Denver Broncos 70-20 in Week 3, this is the first season since 1972 in which multiple teams have scored at least 60 points.
“We were on the other side [a shutout] last week and it felt a certain way,” Pierce said. “There is no excuse here. Excuse me.”
