Do you really need four of these? Like, really? They let the Raiders score 63 points. Come on.
Making history
Let’s start here, with the least painful one. Raiders QB Aidan O’Connell threw for multiple touchdowns in a single game for the first time in his career on Thursday. He had four in the first half, the same amount that he had throughout the course of the entire season prior to the game.
Okay, now the really bad ones. Las Vegas scored the most points in franchise history at 63. This is their 64th season of NFL football. Those 63 points were also the most in Thursday Night Football history. Those 63 points were also the most allowed in Chargers franchise history. Los Angeles has also been in the NFL since 1960.
We could probably stop here. This is the story of the game. Why do you need three more of these, again?
Hold on to the ball
The Chargers fumbled the ball five times on Thursday night. Most people would argue that is too many times to fumble the ball in one football game.
Las Vegas recovered four of those fumbles, including two on consecutive possessions in the first quarter. The Raiders turned both of those turnovers into touchdowns to open up an early 21 point lead that they never even thought about relinquishing. Derius Davis then fumbled a punt return inside the Raiders 20, allowing a fourth touchdown. In the third quarter, Stick was strip sacked a second time, with defensive tackle John Jenkins returning it for a touchdown to make the score 56-7. The next possession was the intercepted screen for a touchdown by Jack Jones to make it 63-7.
Everything went wrong for the Chargers on Thursday, without question. But five turnovers only exacerbated the issues Los Angeles experienced.
Neutralized
In the first matchup against the Raiders, Khalil Mack had one of the best games a player has ever had. Mack sacked Aidan O’Connell six times, stripping him of the ball twice and directly impacting a 24-17 win in Week 4.
On Thursday, Las Vegas was without left tackle Kolton Miller and running back Josh Jacobs, which set the stage for another potential dominant performance by Mack and the Chargers defense. Instead, the Raiders sent chip help to Mack’s side on every play, daring a different player to step up for Los Angeles.
O’Connell was sacked just once, by linebacker Eric Kendricks, and was hit only three times. Mack was consistently a tick or two away from the rookie before he let go of the ball, a testament to Las Vegas’ plan to get the ball out quickly to help further neutralize Mack’s threat.
Neutralize they did.
You got New Year's plans?
Hey, what are you doing for the holidays? Hopefully something nice. Maybe traveling to see family, or hosting loved ones traveling to you. I’ll be flying back to my hometown to see my parents. But if you’re free on New Year’s, there’s football to pitch to you.
No, not the Broncos game. That’s New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Day, home of the New Year’s Six bowl games in college football. LSU is playing Wisconsin and will have first round wide receiver prospect Malik Nabers in uniform because he wants to break a school record for receiving yards. Oregon has Liberty in the Fiesta Bowl, but they won’t have center Jackson Powers-Johnson or running back Bucky Irving, who both already declared for the draft. Iowa-Tennessee is uh…on!
And then there’s the playoff. Michigan takes on Alabama in the first semifinal. You could watch Bama corners Kool-Aid McKinstry and Terrion Arnold, or maybe Tide right tackle JC Latham. Michigan has running backs Donovan Edwards and Blake Corum, plus nickel corner Mike Sainristil. In the second matchup between Washington and Texas, there are no less than five potential wide receiver targets you could watch. (Those names are Rome Odunze, Ja’Lynn Polk, Jalen McMillan, Adonai Mitchell, and Xavier Worthy.) The Longhorns have tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders and the Huskies have edge rushers Bralen Trice and Zion Tupuola-Fetui.
So, as the year turns over, start it off with something nice for yourself. Watch good football and think about some good players that could suit up for the Chargers next season instead of investing more time in a lost season in SoFi Stadium. Your family will be worried about you. Please.
