Davante Adams climbing in receiving stats
The Raiders scored a franchise-record 63 points in a historic win over the division-rival Chargers.
Daniel Popper, Tashan Reed, Vic Tafur and The Athletic NFL staff
December 15, 2023 at 9:06 AM EST
Sean M. Haffey / Getty Images
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Raiders set franchise record for points in 63-21 blowout win vs. Chargers
By Daniel Popper and Tashan Reed
Coming into their “Thursday Night Football” matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, the Las Vegas Raiders hadn’t scored a touchdown in their last 19 offensive possessions — a streak that dated back to Week 12.
On Thursday, the Raiders scored a touchdown on six of their eight possessions in the first half, building a 42-0 lead en route to what became a franchise-record win at Allegiant Stadium, putting up 63 points to the Chargers’ 21.
Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell had four touchdown passes — doubling his season total in just a half. Receiver Tre Tucker caught two of those touchdown passes and tight end Michael Mayer and receiver Jakobi Meyers also hauled in TD passes. Meyers also threw a touchdown pass to Davante Adams in the second half.
Raiders running backs Zamir White and Brandon Bolden each added a score on the ground.
Las Vegas’ defense limited the Chargers, playing without starting quarterback Justin Herbert, whose out for the rest of the season with a broken finger, to just 89 yards in the first half and forced four fumbles — recovering three. The Raiders defense forced two more turnovers in the second half with John Jenkins returning a fumble 44 yards and Jack Jones returning an interception 16 yards for touchdowns.
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Davante Adams climbing in receiving stats
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Will we see Max Duggan?
(Photo: Stan Szeto / USA Today)
This game is probably Easton Stick's to finish after the Chargers' long-time backup waited nearly five full seasons to make his first NFL start. But with as bad as things are looking — he's 9-of-13 for 75 yards, but has been sacked twice and fumbled once — and the Chargers trailing 35-0, could they turn to their rookie seventh-round pick?
Max Duggan, the Davey O'Brien Award winner last season as college football's best quarterback, was a seventh-round pick by L.A. this year. He was cut at the end of training camp and had spent the season on the practice squad until he was signed to the active roster Tuesday when Justin Herbert was placed on injured reserve with a broken finger. This is his first time being active for an NFL game.
Aidan O’Connell with tremendous first half fantasy point total
This game is only halfway through the second quarter and Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell has already posted 17.36 fantasy points. That is the highest first half fantasy point total by a Raiders quarterback since Derek Carr posted 19.84 points in Week 5 of the 2020 season.
Chargers being outplayed in every facet of the game
About the only drama left in this game for the Chargers will come in the postgame news conference. Coach Brandon Staley has already had several tense and terse news conferences during this failure of a season and one has to figure he won't have many answers after this one.
The Chargers are being outplayed in every facet of the game, with nearly as many turnovers (3) as first downs (4). The 28 points scored in the first half by the Raiders marks only the second time this season the Las Vegas offense has scored more than 19 points in a game.
O'Connell already has 134 yards, 3 TDs
The Raiders score again off the Chargers' turnover as Aidan O'Connell hits fellow rookie Michael Mayer for an 11-yard touchdown.
O'Connell, making just his seventh NFL start, is 9-for-17 passing for 134 yards and three first-half touchdowns.
Raiders making most of takeaways
The Chargers have now committed three turnovers tonight (one shy of matching season high), and the Raiders cashed the previous two into 14 points.
L.A. had allowed 19 points off turnovers in its first 13 games combined (second fewest in NFL).
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Turnover bug bites the Chargers again
After forcing a Raiders punt, DJ Turner rips the ball out of punt returner Derius Davis' hands and the Raiders recover at the L.A. 14-yard line. It's the Chargers' third turnover of the first half.
Chargers can't get anything going
The Chargers' first five drives tonight:
Punt
Fumble
Fumble
Punt
Punt
It’s the second straight game L.A. has failed to score points on any of its first five drives. It had zero such games this season before last week.
Chargers get first stop
For the first time in four drives, the Chargers keep the Raiders out of the end zone and force a punt.
Despite the stop, L.A. has now allowed touchdowns on 24.2 percent of opponent drives this season (including three of four tonight), 27th in the NFL. That’s up from 22.3 percent last season (21st).
What you missed in the first quarter on 'Thursday Night Football'
- After forcing a three-and-out on the Chargers’ first drive, the Raiders marched 68 yards and jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard rush TD by Zamir White, his first career TD. White is making his first career start in place of the injured Josh Jacobs.
- Chargers QB Easton Stick fumbled on the next possession (his second fumble lost in as many games), then the Raiders cashed in four plays later on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Aidan O’Connell to Tre Tucker, Tucker’s first career TD. Las Vegas has now scored a 30-plus-yard TD in three of its last four games (one in first 10 games).
- The Chargers fumbled again on the first play of the ensuing drive, this time by RB Josh Kelley, and the Raiders scored three plays later on a 22-yard touchdown pass from O'Connell to Jakobi Meyers. The Raiders’ 21 first-quarter points are their most in a game since Week 7 of 2010 when they led the Broncos 24-0. Las Vegas entered the night having scored 20 first-quarter points in its previous four games combined.
Raiders DT Jerry Tillery comes up big against his former team
As if a 21-0 deficit after the first quarter wasn't bad enough, the quarter ends with Jerry Tillery, a maligned 2019 first-round pick of the Chargers, sacking Easton Stick on third down to force another punt.
Tillery was a major disappointment in 3 1/2 seasons with the Chargers before he was released last season and joined the Raiders. So far tonight, he's delivered a sack and recovered a fumble against his former team.
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Over/under has increased dramatically
The over/under for this contest was sitting between 35 and 36 points in the run up to the opening kickoff, but now that the Raiders have scored 21 points in the first quarter, that total has increased notably, as it now sits as 47.5 points in live in-game betting at BetMGM.
Could this be it for Brandon Staley?
(Photo: Gary A. Vasquez / USA Today)
The Chargers coach is already on the hot seat, with it seeming increasingly unlikely he'll return for a fourth season. If his team — now without starting QB Justin Herbert — had any plans to make a late-season push to help his cause, it's not happening so far tonight. The Chargers trail 21-0 less than 12 minutes into this game with the Raiders — a team that only once this season had scored more than 19 points offensively.
Unless the Chargers turn it around, could this be the type of game that leads the Chargers to make an early decision and move on from Staley as they head into the long weekend mini-bye?
First time in 13 years that the Raiders have scored 21 points in the first quarter
This is the first time that the Raiders have scored 21 points in the first quarter since Week 7 of the 2010 season when the then Oakland Raiders scored 24 points on the way to a 59-14 blowout of the Denver Broncos. An interesting side note is that the Broncos coach in that season was none other than Josh McDaniels, the Raiders former head coach who was let go earlier this year.
Raiders up big in first quarter
Again, the Raiders take advantage of a Chargers turnover as Aidan O'Connell hits a streaking Jakobi Meyers down the right sideline for a 22-yard score. With the extra point, the Raiders lead 21-0 with three minutes remaining in the first quarter. Just like we all expected, right?
Chargers' disastrous start continues
The Chargers' disastrous start continues as backup running back Joshua Kelley is stripped and fumbles. Again, the Raiders recover and take over in plus territory. It's the Chargers' second turnover in less than four minutes of game time.
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Raiders are a nearly 20-point favorite now
Las Vegas was a 3-point favorite in this game at the opening kickoff, but after going up 14-0 and recovering a fumble on kickoff that followed the second touchdown, the Raiders are now listed at -19.5 points in live in-game betting at BetMGM.
Raiders extend lead on another long TD
Two drives, two scores for the Raiders as Las Vegas jumps out to a 14-0 lead.
The 30-yard touchdown pass from Aidan O’Connell to Tre Tucker marks the third time in their last four games that the Raiders have scored a 30-plus-yard touchdown (one in first 10 games this season).
Already tied for the fifth highest scoring day of the Raiders season
To get an idea of just how rare this type of scoring burst is for the Raiders, this is already tied for the fifth-highest single game point total for the 2023 Las Vegas Raiders.
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