Week 17 Jan 1st, 2012 the Chargers @ Oakland

[Bakuron]

Here we are, could possibly make the playoffs, i think after all the crap we've had in 7 of the last 8 seasons we deserve some good times !!

True. But this is the best/youngest group of players we've had at any single time in that period. Championships aren't won in one season. This hopefully year one(and a half) of a longer term success story.

[psj3809]

Here we are, could possibly make the playoffs, i think after all the crap we've had in 7 of the last 8 seasons we deserve some good times !!

True. But this is the best/youngest group of players we've had at any single time in that period. Championships aren't won in one season. This hopefully year one(and a half) of a longer term success story.

Yep i think theres better times in the future but i would still love the playoffs this year. Give our young players a taste of it.  If we dont make it i'll be gutted but if you told me in August we might be 9-7 i would have taken that

Just hope we show up and do the business, at 7-4 i thought our team were pumped up with some 'easy' games coming up and we were shocking.

If the players are flat this week then i'll be really gutted. Surely we'll get an epic performance ?  No doubt it'll come down to the last 10 secs!

[psj3809]

Well talk about gutted. I really thought we would beat SD but probably lose out on tiebreakers, instead everything goes wrong against SD.  I mean a kick return, a crazy near 'safety' but instead its a 99 yard drive.  End of the first half we cant spike it as special teams linemen run on, ridiculous.  Too many FG's and not enough td's.  Gutted.  McClain covering a WR just like against Detroit, or Wimberly trying to cover TE Gates, ridiculous.  Saw Houston in 'zone' coverage trying to cover Gates once as well.  San Diego didnt punt once !!!

Looking at the bright spots....

Palmer played very well, on that final int it seemed more to do with Ford.
DHB did have a few crucial drops, think overall he made some nice grabs.  Nice to see Louis Murphy make some plays

A lot of negatives though...

Stupid stupid penalties, just ridiculous.  The defense were terrible, 0 sacks against a backup LT.  Hardly any pressure, Routt had a poor game. Why do we have McClain covering WR's ?  

So frustrating though.  I think if we got that crazy kickoff 'safety' we would win the game as momentum was huge. I mean he was 'just' out of the end zone and then 'nearly' fumbled it in the end zone, a huge play, a few inches or that and we could be laughing.  But we still have a chance and instead San Diego go 99 yards to kill off the game, pathetic.  The offense cant win the game if the defense does diddley squat.

The 'good' news is that Chuck.B will be gone, a new defensive co ordinator will come in and will be able to do what he want as poor Al isnt around. We'll surely get a new GM as well

We badly miss Darren McFadden, Bush i think is a good change of pace back but our rushing attack isnt the same with Bush instead of McFadden.

To be fair if you told me back in August we would be 8-8 i wouldnt have been gutted.  I've always thought we're a 'year too early'.  Next year is when i expect playoffs and i'll be gutted if we dont make it next year.  If we stay injury free we'll be fine next year.

BUT damn i wish Denver had won as it would be 'easier' to handle.  Instead we have a prime chance, the Donks game finishes early so we have 6 minutes to win the game knowing we could make the playoffs but we dont.  Gutted.

But next year i'm positive, some offseasons i know what a lousy team we have, but we do have a lot of young talent, we are 'nearly' there.  Hopefully we'll hear about GM interviews soon which will be great, then a new defensive guy and then hopefully some holes filled in free agency.  We're nearly there

[Ottoman Empire]

Sums it up about right psj. Should be an interesting off season that's for sure .

 There's always next year is feeling a bit tired at the moment though (but I agree with the points you make). Just gutted, bloody gutted!

[psj3809]

^Yep same here, kinda wished Denver had won !!!

But we're a team on the up, the AFC West will be weak next year, it'll be ours for the taking.  I dont normally talk the talk but i'm confident about next season.  Anyway good night, time to do my ritual of walk the dog and then go to bed after the game

[R8RMR]

Final: Chargers 38, Raiders 26

With some of the fan base chanting “ Denver lost, Denver lost,’’ the Raiders proved defenseless in their bid for an AFC West title, losing 38-26 to the san Diego Chargers at O.co Coliseum

Quarterback Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes, Mike Tolbert had a 1-yard run, Richard Goodman returned a kickoff 105 yards and Nick Novak kicked a 51-yard field goal as San Diego forced their rivals to trudge off the field with the knowledge that a playoff opportunity had slipped away.

The Raiders (8-8) didn’t force San Diego to punt and offensively twice settled for field goals on red zone opportunities.

Sebastian Janikowski connected on field goals of 52, 47, 27 and 32 yards without a miss to go along with touchdown pass by Carson Palmer of 3 yards to Darrius Heyward-Bey and 23 yards to tight end Kevin Boss.

The Broncos, Raiders and Chargers finish 8-8, with Denver winning the division on tiebreaking procedures.

Denver lost 7-3 in Kansas City , creating the opportunity upon which Oakland failed to capitalize.

Oakland was within 31-6 after the Palmer-to-Boss touchdown with 9:37 left, and after a San Diego personal foul, the Raiders kicked off from the 50-yard line and nearly had a game-altering safety.

Janikowski hit pooch kick to Goodman, who first mishandled the ball, then attempted to bring it out of the end zone. He managed to get to the half-yard line.

Rivers then immediately got San Diego out of trouble with a 19-yard pass to Malcom Floyd, Mike Tolbert broke off a 40-yard run, San Diego scored on a 43-yard Rivers to Floyd pass.

The 99-yard drive summed up the season.

The Chargers led 24-13 at halftime as Rivers completed 11 of 17 passes for 171 yards, including the 38-yard touchdown strike to Gates.

Goodman’s 105-yard kickoff return for a touchdown was the first Oakland allowed in 28 games, dating back to a 102-yard return in Week 3 of last season by LeRod Stephens-Howling of Arizona .

The Raiders mismanaged the clock at the end of the half and failed to get off a 58-yard attempt by Janikowski, with Palmer completing 6-yard pass to Louis Murphy to the 38-yard line with eight seconds left and no timeouts and failing to get the ball spiked before time expired.


 Final: Chargers 38, Raiders 26 - Inside the Oakland Raiders - A look inside the world of the highly classified Oakland Raiders from the writers of Bay Area News Group