Carr-Adams connection rallies Raiders past Chargers 27-20
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Derek Carr completed two long touchdown passes to Davante Adams in the third quarter to rally the Las Vegas Raiders to a 27-20 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.
That connection on offense backed an aggressive defense that sacked Justin Herbert five times as the Raiders (5-7) won their third consecutive game and split their season series with the Chargers.
The loss was a significant setback for the Chargers (6-6), who are just outside the playoff picture.
Los Angeles led 10-0 early in the second quarter before the Raiders charged back by outscoring the Chargers 27-3.
Carr completed a 31-yarder to Adams early in the third quarter to give Las Vegas the lead for good at 17-13. Less than four minutes later, the duo hooked up on a 45-yard flea flicker for another score.
Adams finished with eight receptions for 177 yards, surpassing 1,000 yards for the fourth time since 2018. He also has 85 career touchdown catches, surpassing Calvin Johnson for fifth most for a receiver in his first nine seasons.
Carr completed 16 of 30 passes for 250 yards and the two TDs to Adams.
Josh Jacobs rushed for 144 yards and a touchdown, and the Raiders improved to 5-1 this season when has 100 or more yards. For the season, Jacobs has 1,303 yards, the most in Raiders history through 12 games.
Las Vegas pressured Herbert throughout. Chandler Jones entered the game with just a half-sack, but the defensive end recorded three in the first half alone. He also tackled Herbert a yard short of the first down on a fourth-and-2 in the first quarter.
But Herbert, who completed 28 of 47 passes for 335 yards for this 20th career 300-yard game, nearly rallied the Chargers in the fourth quarter.
On fourth-and-10, he rolled right and fired a 35-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen with 8:34 left. It was Allen’s 50th career TD reception.
Raiders cornerback Amik Robertson played tight coverage on Allen, who told the Los Angeles Times last week that the Las Vegas defensive backs would “barbecued chicken” if they played single coverage on him. Robertson was on single coverage on Allen on the next Chargers drive as Los Angeles trailed by seven points and he pulled down Allen on a third-and-10 that didn’t draw a flag. Instead of a first down, the Chargers faced a fourth down, and failed to convert.
Allen, who caught six passes for 88 yards, missed the last seven games with a hamstring injury.
The Chargers took a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter, opening the scoring when Asante Samuel tipped a pass that fellow cornerback Bryce Callahan intercepted and returned 26 yards for a touchdown. It was Los Angeles’ fourth interception of Carr this season. The rest of the league has a combined four against him.
Jacobs’ 20-yard touchdown run and Daniel Carlson’s 55-yard field goal brought the Raiders even, but Cameron Dicker’s 34-yard field goal with 27 seconds left gave the Chargers a 13-10 halftime lead.
UP NEXT
Chargers: Host the Miami Dolphins next Sunday night.
Raiders: Play at the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night.
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) reacts after being tackled during the first half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Dec. 4, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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