APRussell’s first interception of the season on a deflected screen pass to Darren McFadden set up San Diego’s first touchdown of the game when Rivers hit Antonio Gates from 9 yards to make it 15-10 on the second play of the fourth quarter.
Just over a minute later, Marques Harris beat Kwame Harris, stripped the ball from Russell and recovered at the 13. Tomlinson ran it in on the next play and a 2-point conversion made it 18-15.
The Raiders could have had an even bigger halftime lead. But they settled for a field goal on the opening drive after moving the ball inside the 5 and had another touchdown called back on a holding penalty against Cornell Green. They settled for a field goal on that drive as well.
“As an offense, when you get those opportunities you can’t settle for 3, especially against a team as talented as the Chargers,” said tight end Zach Miller, who scored Oakland’s only touchdown on a 63-yard reception in the second quarter. “They’re a good team so that hurt us taking those 3 points.”
Russell finished 22-for-37 for 277 yards.
Notes: Janikowski attempted a 76-yard field goal at the end of the first half but was unable to reach the goal line with his kick. The NFL record for longest field goal is 63 yards. ... Raiders DT Terdell Sands had two sacks matching his career total from his first 63 games. ... The Chargers had six sacks. ... The Raiders wore white uniforms at home for a change because of the heat. The Raiders’ final comeback attempt was thwarted when Luis Castillo pressured Russell into an incompletion on fourth-and-5 from the Oakland 44 with 1:14 to go. Tomlinson finished it off from there, giving the Chargers two straight wins following two crushing losses to open the season.
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