Chargers vs. Raiders: Just like old times — sort of

Shawne Merriman did the lights out dance. LaDainian Tomlinson scored two touchdowns. The Chargers beat the Raiders — again (that’s 13 straight if you’re counting).

It was just like old times at the Q. 

Well — sort of.

Despite doing a lot of things right on Sunday, the Chargers had trouble putting away a beleaguered Oakland team that hung around until late in the 4th quarter of San Diego’s 24-16 win.

Were it not for the complete ineptitude of JaMarcus Russell (14-of-22, 109 yards, 1 int, zero touchdowns or passes more than 15 yards), the Raiders may have actually pulled off the upset.

Related: Instant replay: Live analysis from Chargers-Raiders

But Russell is still Russell, and the Chargers dominated enough aspects of the game to overcome a pair of costly turnovers, improve to 4-3 and pull within two games of the 6-1 Broncos, who lost 30-7 to Baltimore earlier in the day.

“There was a lot of good,” Philip Rivers said. “There were a few things that were just off or it could have been really good.”

He’s right. There was a lot of good for the Chargers. They converted 64 percent of their third downs. They outgained the Raiders 346 yards to 180 yards on offense. They converted in the red zone with three scores in four attempts, including both of Tomlinson’s touchdowns — one of which came in the Wildcat formation.

“I don’t see it being a priority,” Rivers said of the Wildcat. “I think it can be a wrinkle.”

Tomlinson showed a little more enthusiasm about the new look to the Chargers offense.

“We worked on it the whole offseason,” Tomlinson said. “Mini-camp — we worked on it in training camp. We were just sitting there like — ‘coach when are you gonna call it? We’re ready.’”

Aside from the Wildcat, the Chargers showed a balance on offense that didn’t depend on the big play to move the ball. The Raiders showed a lot of blitzes and man-to-man coverage, and Rivers made them pay with quick outs and slants that picked up small chunks of yardage and a lot of first downs.

“Teams that are going to try and bring pressure and blitz you, it can talk them out of it,” Rivers said of the quick-strike attack. “And it allows you to beat it — to beat it with the ball.”

Rivers certainly didn’t have his most prolific day (16-of-25, 249 yards, 1 TD, 1 Int), but he was precise and efficient. 

Vincent Jackson was his favorite target over the middle, catching 12 balls for 103 yards and a touchdown while new starter Malcom Floyd’s 53-yard snag on the first play of scrimmage set the tone.

The line held up and gave Rivers enough time to get rid of the ball on blitzes as he took just one sack from a team that beat him up thoroughly in the season opener. Richard Seymour (3 assisted tackles) and Greg Ellis (one tackle) were non-factors.

It was the second straight solid performance from an offensive line that’s been beat up on all season.

And then there’s Merriman, who logged his first two sacks of the season to go along with seven tackles and plenty of showboating.

“I’ve been back,” Merriman said. “You know every week it has just been about getting better. As long as we keep improving as a defense, I’m happy with that.”

Partner-in-crime Shaun Phillips logged two sacks of his own, as pressure on Russell was the theme of the defense.

Despite the win, though, the final score is a glaring concern for Chargers fans. For the Chargers to do everything they did so well and beat one of the worst teams in the league at home by just eight points is far from comforting.

The first turnover — a Rivers interception that bounced off Jackson’s hands — led to a short field and Oakland’s only touchdown.

The second — a Darren Sproles fumbled punt return — kept the ball in Oakland’s hands instead of setting up San Diego at midfield for a potential nail-in-the-coffin third-quarter score. It also led to the Raiders dominating the third-quarter clock (Oakland’s time of possession 10:52; Chargers had the ball for 4:08).

And as every Chargers fan is acutely aware at this point, the meat of the schedule starts next week with a trip to The Meadowlands to face an angry N.Y. Giants team that got walloped 40-17 on Sunday by the Eagles.

Then it’s back home to face that very Eagles team that now leads the NFC East. And then the Chargers make the late November road trip to Denver that could make or break the season — if they come out of the NFC East slate still breathing.

“The true measure is going to come against the teams we have coming up — Philadelphia and the Giants next week,” Tomlinson said. “It’s going to tell us a lot about ourselves in the next couple of weeks.”

It will. And if the Chargers don’t put the throttle down if and when they have a chance, don’t look for the NFC East beasts to be as accommodating as the dysfunctional Raiders.

Jason Owens is the SDNN sports editor. Email: jason.owens(at)sdnn.com

Tags: Darren Sproles, JaMarcus Russell, LaDainian Tomlinson, Malcom Floyd, Norv Turner, Philip Rivers, SDNN, Shaun Phillips, Shawne Merriman, Vincent Jackson

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 1st, 2009 at 7:18 pm and is filed under Chargers, Sports, Sports Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.