RAIDERS-Chargers Halftime Post

OAK 30 SD 6


Welcome in to the halftime post for the Raiders' divisional road matchup vs. the San Diego Chargers fresh off the bye week where the Raiders are currently dominating the Chargers 30-6 at the half.

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Defense. This defense came to play today. Last week, Philip Rivers had the game of his life, throwing for over 500+ yards against the Packers and some expected him to burn this defense. Guess that didn't happen the first half didn't it? On the first three plays of the Chargers' opening drive, Malcolm Smith managed to get an INT on Rivers, setting up a Murray TD and on another drive in the 2nd quarter, Rivers gets picked off again by D.J. Hayden. This defense has kept the number 1 passing offense in check this half, not a single TD in that half.

Amari Cooper, 3 receptions, 117 yards, 1 TD. He's back! If you hadn't noticed, Cooper was pretty quiet in the games against Chicago and Denver and man did he need this half against the Chargers. His YAC (yards after catch) is just unreal and it showed during that 52 yard catch and run. He was making every Charger defender in the open field miss and his change of direction made a Charger safety fall on his ankles en route to a TD. Just, simply amazing.

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Penalties. Every time the Raiders have dominating game like this, penalties just have to derail this team from going full throttle. After a great jump ball catch by Cooper and Reece fighting to get inside the Chargers' one yard line, the penalties just killed the positivity that drive is sustaining. Although the Donald Penn penalty, the refs should've Corey Liuget with his retaliation by kicking Penn, should've off set the penalty, Raiders could've gotten another TD. Other than that, like I said, penalties are just preventing the Raiders from going full throttle despite the big lead.

Bottom Line

Well, this is the scary part heading into the 2nd half. Will Musgrave and Ken Norton, Jr. just pack it in and play it safe leading by this much? There's no room to be conservative at this point in the game. Philip Rivers and the Chargers, despite the absence of Antonio Gates and Melvin Gordon III can get hot at any time and mount a comeback. And that has plagued the Raiders for a long time is blowing a big time lead. They gotta keep this momentum. Don't give this Chargers team any life!