Getty Derek Carr, Isaiah Johnson and Johnathan Abram of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Another week, another close game for the Las Vegas Raiders. Win the silver and black win, they seem to always come down to the wire. In fact, only one of the team’s last 12 wins have been by more than one possession. Week 9’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers was the closest the Raiders have played this season.
It looked like the Chargers were going to pull it off in the end and they almost did. Fortunately, Isaiah Johnson was able to keep Donald Parham Jr. from holding onto the game-winning touchdown. It was a close call but it was clear that the ball hit the ground. The internet went wild after the game.
Way to finish the faukin play Zay 😡‼️@_bigplayzay
Or not….
Chargers inventing new ways to lose every week
The game was so close to slipping through the Raiders’ hands but the defense was able to step up in the end after a bad performance. Las Vegas has been really good about finishing up games but it looked like they were about to succumb to the Chargers. This was a very important win for the Raiders as they’ve got two more divisional games on the docket.
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Raiders Win 3rd Straight Against Chargers
During the 2000s, the Chargers absolutely owned the Raiders. They beat them 12 straight times from 2004 to 2009. The silver and black have started their own win streak as they’ve now beat Los Angeles three straight times.
Divisional games are almost always competitive so the fact that the Raiders have been able to take care of the Chargers is a positive sign. This win cements Las Vegas as the second-best team in the AFC West. Even though they beat the Kansas City Chiefs, they still have a better record and are the reigning Super Bowl champions. If the Raiders can beat the Denver Broncos next week and then follow it up with another win over the Chiefs, then Las Vegas could make the claim that they are the best in the AFC West.
Raiders Still Have Problems Despite Win
The Raiders have pulled off another win and are 5-3. However, they still have some major problems. The offense looks great and if they can get Henry Ruggs more involved, they could be even better. Considering the fact that the offensive line was missing three starters on Sunday and they still put 31 points proves how good this group is.
Unfortunately, the defense is still a big red flag. Cory Littleton consistently looks lost out there and wide receivers were frequently wide open. Yes, they came up with the stop at the end but this game shouldn’t have even been close. The defense was able to get two sacks but still weren’t bringing enough pressure on Justin Herbert. The Chargers don’t have a good offensive line so the Raiders defensive line should’ve had a field day. If Las Vegas can figure out how to fix these glaring defensive problems, the team is good enough to make some noise in the playoffs.
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