The Los Angeles Chargers improved to 7-2 on the season after beating the Oakland Raiders 20-6.
Game Balls:
Offense: Melvin Gordon – Melvin Gordon continued his strong 2018 season against the Raiders. Gordon led the team in rushing and receiving. On the ground, Number 28 recorded 93 rushing yards on 18 attempts (5.2 yards per carry). Through the air, he hauled in five passes for 72 yards (14.4 avg.) and a touchdown. On his career-long 66-yard TD reception in the third quarter, Gordon passed Darren Sproles (1,400) and Danny Woodhead (1,429) for the sixth-most receiving yards by a running back in Chargers history.
Defense: Melvin Ingram – Ingram had a critical strip-sack of Derek Carr in the second quarter which Corey Liuget recovered and returned 24 yards. The sack brought Ingram over 40 for his career, becoming the seventh Charger to reach that mark. It also marked 4.5 career sacks of Carr for Ingram, the second-most of a single quarterback in his career (has 5.0 career sacks of Washington QB Alex Smith). Along with the sack and forced fumble, Ingram finished the game with four total tackles and one quarterback hit.
Unsung Hero: Derwin James – The rookie made his presence felt on Sunday notching nine total tackles and one pass defensed. Most notably, he stopped the Raiders on 4th-and-goal on their opening possession. He tackled Dwayne Harris at the line of scrimmage to turn the ball over on downs and let his team's offense take the field.
Stat of the Game:
With his TD strike to Keenan Allen late in the first half, Philip Rivers extended his streak of games with a TD pass to 22, which is the third-longest streak in Chargers history and second-longest active streak in the NFL.
Play of the Game:
Down 3-0 early in the second quarter, the defense faced a critical 3rd-and-6 at their own 21 in which they had to get the stop. They did so in resounding fashion. Melvin Ingram unleashed a filthy spin move and crushed Derek Carr for an 11-yard sack. The ball popped loose on the play, and Corey Liuget scooped it up and ran it back 24 yards to the Oakland 40.
Turning Point:
With 28 seconds left in the first half, Rivers found Allen for an 11-yard touchdown to make it 10-3. Knowing they'd get the ball to open the second half, they made the most of their opportunities on a four-play, 77-yard drive that ended with a 66-yard touchdown from Philip Rivers to Melvin Gordon to make it a two-score game.
It Was Over When:
Down 20-6, the Raiders were driving deep in Chargers territory and faced a 4th-and-5. Carr stepped back and threw, but felt immense pressure from Ingram and his pass fell incomplete. Though Oakland did get the ball back eventually, the 14-point Chargers lead was too large to overcome.
Bolt Quotebook
"I like what we're doing every single week. I like these guys' focus and concentration, their ability to start over and pay the price every single week to try to get a win. We'll forget about this one after tomorrow and we'll get on to our next rival game with the Broncos and start preparing for that one. But these guys, they have a unique skillset to do that." – Head Coach Anthony Lynn
"Early in the game, stuff's going to happen. Adversity's going to happen, but it's about how you react to it. I think we did a good job." – CB Casey Hayward
"Look at what the defense did in general, holding them to six points, two field goals. Anytime you do that, you can almost count that as a shutout the way I think about it. Keeping a team out of the end zone is hard and they had a stop, fake punt, go right back out there, get a goal line stand and then they held them to three in the first half. And then they got another one late when it was 17 to 3. I didn't know if they were going to kick or not. Had it been a little closer they may have gone for it there, so our D was on the field a lot and did a realy nice job." – QB Philip Rivers
Odds and Ends
The Chargers outgained the Raiders 335 to 317 in total yardage. They held a 222-203 advantage through the air, while Oakland had a one-yard edge on the ground (114-113).
Melvin Ingram became the seventh Charger in franchise history to record at least 40 sacks. The Bolts totaled four sacks from the following players: Ingram (1.0), Uchenna Nwosu (0.5), Isaac Rochell (1.5), Justin Jones (0.5) and Darius Philon (0.5).
QB Philip Rivers finished the game with 223 yards and two touchdown passes with an interception on 18-of-26 passing (69.2 pct.), good for a 105.1 passer rating. In every game this season, Rivers has had two-plus touchdown passes and a passer rating of at least 95.0 or higher, making him the third quarterback in NFL history to accomplish that feat in the first nine games of a season (Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers, 2011, and New England QB Tom Brady, 2007).
Michael Badgley set a team record for points scored by a kicker in Chargers history through the first three games of his career without a missed kick.
Virgil Green served as today's honorary captain.
Inactives for the Chargers included Trevor Williams, Geremy Davis, Chris Landrum, Cole Toner, Trent Scott, Forrest Lamp and Joey Bosa.
Browse through the top game action photos as the Bolts take on the Oakland Raiders for Week 10's divisional matchup.
Philip Rivers during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Ingram tackles during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Casey Hayward and Jahleel Addae celebrate a tackle during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Uchenna Nwosu and Corey Liuget hit Derek Carr during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Casey Hayward, Jahleel Addae and Derwin James celebrate a tackle during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Ingram forces a fumble during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Corey Liuget celebrates his fumble recovery during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon darts downfield during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon runs downfield during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Philip Rivers on the field during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Adrian Phillips tackles Jalen Richard during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon and Keenan Allen celebrate a touchdown during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) catches a touchdown against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) catches a touchdown pass against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Melvin Gordon jumps over defenders during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Derek Watt and Melvin Gordon slap hands after Gordon's touchdown during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon celebrates a touchdown during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon and Derek Watt celebrate Gordon's touchdown during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon runs downfield during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Melvin Gordon celebrates a touchdown during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Damion Square and Isaac Rochell during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Isaac Rochell celebrates sacking Derek Carr during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Philip Rivers throws the ball during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Corey Liuget runs the ball after a fumble recovery during the Week 10 matchup against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams (16) catches a pass against Oakland Raiders cornerback Daryl Worley (20) during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) is tackled by Oakland Raiders cornerback Nick Nelson (23) and nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin (93) during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Mike Williams (81) runs against the Oakland Raiders during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Tyrell Williams (16) runs against the Oakland Raiders during the first half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen (13) runs between Oakland Raiders cornerback Nick Nelson (23) and nose tackle Ahtyba Rubin (93) during the second half of an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif., Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018. (AP Photo/John Hefti)
