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“Chargers-Raiders–Exciting-Excruciating”

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They had it won…made terrible play calls…and almost lost the game.  Both teams did.

The emotional mood swings in the fourth quarter were equal to being in an insane asylum.  It made you ask, why would you run that play?

In the end the Chargers beat the Raiders in overtime, though both tried to hand the game to the other team.

It was as good as you could see an offense play (Bolts).  It was as bad as you could see a defense play (Raiders).  It was atrocious special teams again.

Justin Herbert played and was the reason the Chargers won the game.  Derek Carr got hurt early and it hurt the Raiders in the loss.

Michael Badgley missed two makeable field goals, giving him 11-missed kicks on the season and can not be trusted via long distance.  .

Marcus Mariota’s (314Y) all purpose game off the bench was something for the Raiders to feel good about.

The Raiders horrid pass defense gave up 17-plays of 10-yards or more, and took some terrible pass interference penalties, and that was the reason they lost.

Herbert became the hero with his riverboat gambling deep passes down the field and then his grit on the goal-line on the final plays of the night..

Mariota flashed talent from the long ago past, running for 88-yards on option plays and nearly pulled the game off.

The Raiders garbage secondary killed them time and time again, either big plays or penalties.

But it was a nitemare for play callers.

The Raiders had a 19-play drive for a TD and seemed to have the game by the throat.

The Chargers tried read-option and wildcat runs that blew up in their face costing them key yards.

The Raiders, sand-blasting their way with the running game, pushing to a likely late game field goal, decided to throw a pass to a 3rd string wideout, that was picked off and nearly returned for a touchdown.

The Chargers, on their way to a likely game winning field goal, and running the ball, tried a rollout pass and took a brutal sack, forcing them beyond a solid field goal attempt.

Herbert was under pressure the entire 2nd half..taking the bad sack..9-hits..and 5-pressures.

But there he was at the end with two quarterback sneaks, and getting in with second effort on the second one for the game clinching TD.

The Raiders playoff hopes look done.  They need a total makeover on defense, from coordinator to a bunch of players in the secondary.

The Chargers get their second win in a row, and with lowly Denver coming in next week, a likely victory there, could mean Anthony Lynn gets to coach another season with the Bolts.

It was wild game, an ugly game, a game between two really troubled teams.

For all the greatness Jon Gruden is supposed to have, he can’t get this rag-tag team to win.  Greatness is not (7-7) and missing the playoffs again.  For all the struggles Anthony Lynn has as a head coach, he’s lucky he has Justin Herbert, otherwise he’d be (0-14)

Exciting-Excruciating.  Bolts win.  Raiders loss.

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