After going through a lot this season, the Las Vegas Raiders have made their way to the playoffs and the Pittsburgh Steelers are arguably their biggest supporters on Sunday night.
Is it a movie or what ?! The Raiders eliminate the Chargers!
It wasn’t until the very last play of overtime in the last game of the extended regular schedule to 17 at the Goodell Tour to complete the playoff scenario with the Raiders’ 35-32 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.
The stake for this game was simple: the winner continued his season and the loser fell on vacation or both teams advanced to the playoffs with a draw after the Indianapolis Colts setback earlier in the day ahead of the Jaguars of Jacksonville. The Pittsburgh Steelers would have been fined with a draw as they got the losing team’s playoff ticket and it was the Raiders who gave it to them.
Hunter Renfrow has shone this season for the Raiders and he stood out in the most important game of the year for his team. The receiver accepted Derek Carr’s pass to make it 10-0 Las Vegas in the first quarter.
The Chargers responded through running back Austin Ekeler. The latter put Los Angeles back in the game with two touchdowns to bring his total to 20 this season. Josh Jacobs put the Raiders back in front with 37 seconds left in the second quarter when he crossed the end zone with a short run.
The Chargers’ audacity in the third quarter cost them dearly since even though they were inside their 20-yard line in their territory, the attack attempted to convert a 4e test and a rod. Ekeler was sharply stopped before he crossed the line of scrimmage and the Raiders got the ball back. They followed up with a placement.
INCREDIBLE! Touch! The Chargers force overtime!
Renfrow then gave his team a 12-point lead with his second touchdown of the game after a catch from two yards.
Delayed 29-14 with five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the Chargers had no choice but to go for it. On a fourth down and 21 yards left, Justin Herbert spotted Josh Palmer for a 23-yard touchdown. Los Angeles followed with a two-point conversion to reduce the lead to just seven points.
Herbert used his composure as he tried to lead his team to the tying touchdown in the dying moments of the game. He converted two fourth downs to get to the Raiders line of 29. The Chargers quarterback joined Palmer from inside the 15-yard box and officials ruled the catch was completed after a video review. With five seconds remaining, Herbert completed the incredible streak with a pass to Mike Williams in the end zone. After converting a point, both teams went into overtime with a score of 29-29 which must have increased the level of nervousness among the Steelers.
Josh Jacobs led the Raiders into Chargers territory to start overtime with two good runs. The Los Angeles defense held back Vegas’ advance to force Daniel Carlson to land a 40-yard field goal which he barely achieved to make it 32-29.
The Chargers faced a fourth down and nine yards on the next streak, but once again Herbert was opportunistic and his pass to Williams got Los Angeles into Raiders territory following a gain of 47 yards. Dustin Hopkins tied the game with a 41-yard field goal that gave the Raiders just over four minutes.
Derek Carr and Jacobs led Las Vegas to Los Angeles territory and time passed, leaving Daniel Carlson with a 47-yard punt for the win. As it was officially the last game of the game, the Raiders were already sure to make the playoffs, but their victory knocked out the Chargers and made the Steelers happy. The kicker succeeded and the celebrations could be launched in Pittsburgh!
Last game of the season? No! 49 yards to Williams!
Jacobs led the charge offensively for the Raiders (10-7) with 132 rushing yards. Carr concluded with 186 yards and the Vegas team offered a date with the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the playoffs. After the many distractions this season following the departure of Jon Gruden and the tragic accident of Henry Ruggs III, the Raiders were able to come back up the slope with four wins in a row to close the campaign.
Despite his 383 yards and three touchdowns, Herbert sees his season come to an end and the Chargers must certainly be disappointed to leave on vacation with a 9-8 record.
