Chargers–Raiders rivalry
Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas Raiders
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First meeting | November 27, 1960 Chargers 52, Raiders 28 |
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Latest meeting | December 14, 2023 Raiders 63, Chargers 21 |
Next meeting | September 8, 2024 |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 129 |
All-time series | Raiders, 69–58–2 |
Postseason results | Raiders, 1–0
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Largest victory | Chargers: 44–0 (1961); Raiders: 63–21 (2023) |
Longest win streak | Chargers, 13 (2003–2009); Raiders: 10 (1972–1977) |
Current win streak | Raiders, 1 (2023–present) |
Championship success | |
AFL Championships (2) (1960–1969)
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The Chargers–Raiders rivalry is a National Football League (NFL) rivalry between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders that has transcended two leagues and a combined five relocations. Since debuting in the inaugural AFL season, in 1960, as the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers in the AFL Western Conference, both teams joined the AFC West in 1970 under the AFL–NFL merger.
Like the 49ers–Rams rivalry in the NFC West, this rivalry represented the geographic and cultural differences between Northern and Southern California, with the Raiders representing Oakland from 1960–81, and again from 1995–2019, and the Chargers represented San Diego from 1961–2016, and Los Angeles in 1960, and since 2017. The Raiders' 13 seasons in Los Angeles, from 1982 to 1994, saw the teams only 130 miles apart. The in-state rivalry was lost with the Raiders' move to Nevada though Las Vegas is closer to Los Angeles by 350 miles than Oakland to San Diego.
History
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Raiders-Chargers_move_history.gif/220px-Raiders-Chargers_move_history.gif)
1960–1969: AFL days
[edit]The Chargers and Raiders were both charter members of the American Football League when the league began playing in 1960. The Chargers moved to San Diego after their first year in Los Angeles, appearing in four of the first five AFL Championship games and winning one. Al Davis, who would later become the famous Raiders owner, started off as an assistant coach for the Chargers until becoming Oakland's head coach in 1963. Under Davis, the Raiders held a competitive edge over the Chargers from the late 1960s to the 1990s, appearing in four Super Bowls and winning three of them.[1]
1970–2014
[edit]In 1978, the Raiders won over the Chargers in San Diego with a controversial fumblerooski play now known as the Holy Roller. The loss contributed to the Chargers missing the playoffs that year and sparked an NFL rule change.[2] Two years later, both teams returned to the playoffs and faced off in the 1980 AFC championship game. An offensive shootout between Raiders quarterback Jim Plunkett and Chargers quarterback Dan Fouts saw the Raiders prevail 34–27 en route to winning Super Bowl XV over the Philadelphia Eagles.[3] This is the only playoff meeting between the teams.
The Raiders temporarily left Oakland for Los Angeles in 1982, playing there until the conclusion of the 1994 season. Despite only being there for 13 years, the Raiders developed a strong following in Los Angeles during their tenure in the city, which to this day has impeded the Chargers' ability to develop their own following in Los Angeles since returning to that city.[4][5]
One of the ugliest games in the rivalry's history occurred in 1998. Chargers rookie quarterback Ryan Leaf completed just 7 of 18 pass attempts for 78 yards and 3 interceptions. The Raiders did not fare much better on offense, but Raiders backup quarterback Wade Wilson passed for a 68-yard touchdown, his only completion of the day. In the end, both teams had benched their starting quarterbacks as the Raiders narrowly won 7–6. The game set an NFL record for the most punts in a game.[6][7]
Though the Raiders had largely dominated the series for much of the later 20th Century, the Chargers amassed a 13-game winning streak from 2003 to 2009, shortly after the Raiders' appearance in Super Bowl XXXVII and subsequent collapse. One of these losses saw Oakland squander a 15-point halftime lead to lose 28–18, leading up to the firing of head coach Lane Kiffin following that game.[8][9] The Raiders would finally end the losing streak in 2010, defeating the Chargers 35–27 with two blocked punts, two second-half scoring drives led by quarterback Jason Campbell and a Philip Rivers fumble returned by Tyvon Branch for the Raiders' game-clinching touchdown.[10][9]
In 2013, the first Raiders-Chargers game was delayed due to an Athletics postseason game the previous evening, kicking off at 8:35 PM Pacific Time, the latest kickoff time in NFL history. The Raiders won 27–17 with a strong performance by quarterback Terrelle Pryor, a fumble return touchdown by Charles Woodson, and five San Diego turnovers.[11][12] San Diego won the second game that year, however, keeping its playoff hopes alive with a 26–13 win.[13]
2015–2019: Bids to return to Los Angeles
[edit]Following the 2015 season, the Raiders and Chargers both proposed to move back to Los Angeles despite their storied rivalry, announcing a shared stadium proposal in Carson, California.[14] However, the proposal was rejected by NFL owners in favor of the St. Louis Rams' proposal to move back to Los Angeles, with the Chargers first being offered a one-year window to accept the chance to share the Rams' stadium and the Raiders to receive the offer should the Chargers decline. On January 12, 2017, Chargers owner Dean Spanos announced his intention to join the Rams in Los Angeles and leave San Diego to play at SoFi Stadium,[15][16] ultimately leading to Raiders owner Mark Davis accepting a deal to move his team to Las Vegas to play at Allegiant Stadium with the NCAA's UNLV Rebels football program.[17][18]
2020–present: Post-relocation
[edit]Following both teams' relocations by the 2020 season, the Chargers' first home game in the series at the newly built SoFi Stadium featured a notable final play. Down 31–26, Chargers rookie quarterback Justin Herbert threw a pass to Donald Parham that was initially ruled a touchdown but was later overturned after review as Raiders cornerback Isaiah Johnson was seen barely jarring the ball loose from Parham's hands as he fell out of bounds. The call resulted in the Raiders holding on to win.[19] Both teams narrowly missed the playoffs that year.
After a 63–21 Raiders win in the series on Thursday Night Football in 2023,[20] Staley and general manager Tom Telesco were fired by the Chargers on December 15, 2023.[21] The Chargers-Raiders game set a Chargers franchise record for most points allowed in a single game, along with a Raiders franchise record for most points scored in a single game.[22] The following offseason, Raiders owner Mark Davis hired Telesco to be the team's new general manager.
2021 Week 18 Raiders-Chargers game
[edit]The game between the two teams during the final week of the 2021 season would decide the final AFC wild card spots that year. Las Vegas took a commanding 29–14 lead in the fourth quarter, but Herbert led the Chargers back to tie the game at 29 apiece after Herbert successfully converted 4 fourth downs by the end of regulation, forcing overtime. After both teams scored field goals in the extra period, the Raiders were set to run out the clock and accept a tie, but after a Chargers timeout, Las Vegas managed to drive back to field goal range and win the game with a successful kick during the final seconds of overtime, clinching the #5 seed while eliminating the Chargers and allowing the Pittsburgh Steelers to clinch the #7 seed.[23] Had the teams tied, they would have both made the postseason over Pittsburgh via their head-to-head wins over the Steelers earlier in the season.
After the game, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr was asked by NBC sideline reporter Michele Tafoya if the timeout changed their mindset on the final drive, he replied "It definitely did, obviously."[23] In a post game press conference, Raiders interim head coach Rich Bisaccia, when asked if the Raiders were playing to tie, said "We were talking about it. . . . We ran the ball there, and they didn’t call a timeout. So I think they were probably thinking the same thing. And then we had the big run. When we got the big run, it got us in advantageous field goal position. . . . We were certainly talking about it on the sideline. We wanted to see if they were gonna take a timeout or not on that run. They didn’t, so we thought they were thinking the same thing. And then we popped the run in there and gave us a chance to kick the field goal to win it. So, we were certainly talking about it.”[24][25] Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, when asked about the timeout by the Los Angeles Times said "We felt like they were going to run the ball. So we wanted to ... make that substitution so that we could get a play where we would deepen the field goal."[26] In Justin Herbert's post game press conference he said "I had never been rooting for a tie more in my life. That's the unfortunate part of being so close."[27]
Season-by-season results
[edit]Chargers vs. Raiders Season-by-Season Results | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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1960s (Chargers, 11–9)
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1970s (Raiders, 15–3–2)
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1980s (Raiders, 14–7)
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1990s (Raiders, 11–9)
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2000s (Chargers, 14–6)
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2010s (Tie, 10–10)
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2020s (Tie, 4–4)
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Summary of Results
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Series leaders
[edit]Statistics limited to Chargers-Raiders regular games. Correct through 2021 season.
Chargers | Raiders | Ref | |
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Passing yards | Philip Rivers – 7,103 | Derek Carr – 4,056 | [28][29] |
Rushing yards | LaDainian Tomlinson – 2,017 | Marcus Allen – 1,235 | [30][31] |
Receiving yards | Antonio Gates – 1,424 | Tim Brown – 1,697 | [32][33] |
Touchdowns | LaDainian Tomlinson – 25 | Marcus Allen – 20 | [34][35] |
Sacks | Shaun Phillips – 14 | Greg Townsend – 13+1⁄2 | [36][37] |
Interceptions | Speedy Duncan – 7 | Dave Grayson – 8 | [38][39] |
See also
[edit]- 49ers–Rams rivalry
- 49ers–Raiders rivalry
- Angels–Athletics rivalry
- Kings–Sharks rivalry
- Lakers–Warriors rivalry
- Southern California–Northern California rivalry
- Dodgers–Padres rivalry
- Lakers–Clippers rivalry
Notes
[edit]- ^ The Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs finished tied with a 12–2 record, but the Raiders were crowned 1968 division champions. Both teams qualified for the AFL playoffs.
References
[edit]- ^ Rasmussen, Carl (November 8, 2018). "3 Reasons the Chargers-Raiders Rivalry is Bigger Than You Think". 12up.com. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Holy Roller at 40: How a Raiders' fumble-turned-TD changed the NFL, ESPN, Paul Gutierrez and Eric Williams, April 18, 2018.
- ^ "Greatest Moments: 1980 AFC Championship". Raiders. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ "Raiders Still Beloved In LA, But Chargers Have Playoff Hopes". December 28, 2017. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
- ^ Nowels, Michael (December 22, 2019). "Raider Nation swarms 'road' game vs. Chargers in Los Angeles". The Mercury News. Retrieved December 25, 2019.
- ^ NFL Thowback (July 8, 2019). The UGLIEST Win EVER! (Chargers vs. Raiders, 1998) — NFL Record For Punts!. YouTube.
- ^ "San Diego Chargers at Oakland Raiders - October 11th, 1998". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 10, 2019.
- ^ ESPN: "Raiders finally fire Kiffin, promote O-line coach Cable". Retrieved September 30, 2008.
- ^ a b Prime, Ryan (October 8, 2016). "A Brief History: Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers". Just Blog Baby. FanSided. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Dubow, Josh (October 11, 2010). "Raiders rally to beat Chargers 35-27". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ "Pryor, Woodson lead Raiders past Chargers 27-17". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Bien, Louis (October 7, 2013). "Pryor, Woodson star in Raiders win over Chargers". SBNation.com. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Arthur, Kenneth (December 22, 2013). "Chargers win, stay alive for playoffs". SBNation.com. Retrieved July 11, 2019.
- ^ Rapoport, Ian (February 20, 2015). "Chargers, Raiders team up for stadium proposal in Los Angeles". NFL.com. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
- ^ "Chargers to Relocate to Los Angeles". Chargers.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. January 12, 2017. Archived from the original on January 12, 2017. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
- ^ Knoblauch, Austin (January 12, 2017). "Chargers announce decision to relocate to Los Angeles". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved January 15, 2017.
- ^ Rosenthal, Gregg (March 27, 2017). "NFL team owners approve Raiders' move to Las Vegas". NFL.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Retrieved March 27, 2017.
- ^ Raiders Media Relations (March 27, 2017). "Raiders Receive NFL Approval For Las Vegas Relocation". Raiders.com. NFL Enterprises, LLC. Archived from the original on March 28, 2017. Retrieved March 28, 2017.
- ^ Schwab, Frank (November 8, 2020). "Replay review goes against snakebit Chargers on apparent final-play TD, Raiders escape with a win". sports.yahoo.com. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- ^ "Four days after losing 3-0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63-21". ESPN.com. December 15, 2023. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ Gordon, Grant. "Chargers fire head coach Brandon Staley, general manager Tom Telesco following blowout loss to Raiders". NFL.com. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "Four days after losing 3-0, Raiders set franchise scoring record, beat Chargers 63-21". AP News. December 15, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ a b "Derek Carr admitted the Chargers' mind-boggling timeout in final minute changed the game". Ftw.usatoday.com. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ "Raiders vs. Chargers: Raiders were this close to settling for a tie and bumping Steelers from playoffs". Triblive.com. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ Florio, Mike (January 10, 2022). "Rich Bisaccia: We were talking about taking a tie". Profootballtalk.nbcsports.com. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ "Chargers' playoff hopes shattered in season-ending overtime loss to Raiders". Los Angeles Times. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ "Herbert's heroics not enough as Chargers fall, miss playoffs". Apnews.com. January 10, 2022. Retrieved January 11, 2022.
- ^ "Most passing yards, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most passing yards, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most rushing yards, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most rushing yards, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most receiving yards, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most receiving yards, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most touchdowns, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most touchdowns, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 4, 2022.
- ^ "Most sacks, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ "Most sacks, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ "Most interceptions, Chargers vs. Raiders". stathead.com. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
- ^ "Most interceptions, Raiders vs. Chargers". stathead.com. Retrieved August 5, 2022.
External links
[edit]- Los Angeles Chargers' official website
- U-T San Diego – Chargers/NFL
- Pro Football Hall of Fame – Los Angeles Chargers team history
- Los Angeles Chargers at Sports E-Cyclopedia.org
- Las Vegas Raiders' official website
- San Jose Mercury News – Raiders' coverage
- Las Vegas Raiders at Sports E-Cyclopedia.org
- Pro Football Hall of Fame – Las Vegas Raiders' team history