Eric Williams
NFC West Author
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers did not want any additional motivation taking part in in opposition to the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Nevertheless, former Chargers first-round choice Jerry Tillery doused gasoline on the flames with simply over 9 minutes left within the first half at SoFi Stadium, serving as a catalyst for L.A.’s 24-17 victory over its longtime AFC West rival.
On second-and-6 from the Las Vegas 36-yard line, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was flushed proper out of the pocket. He shook Raiders defensive finish Maxx Crosby within the open discipline, inflicting him to fall to the bottom, and the L.A. QB headed towards the sideline.
As Herbert geared down after stepping out of bounds, nonetheless, defensive deal with Tillery dipped his shoulder and leveled the quarterback.
Tillery made an identical play at SoFi Stadium final season in opposition to the Los Angeles Rams. He obtained a private foul for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty in opposition to quarterback Baker Mayfield that prolonged a drive and helped the Rams defeat the Raiders in a come-from-behind victory late within the yr.
On Sunday, officers and Las Vegas gamers needed to pull Tillery out of hurt’s approach, as the whole Chargers sideline got here to the protection of their fallen quarterback. Tillery obtained a private foul penalty for pointless roughness for the undisciplined play and was ejected from the sport.
Three performs later, Herbert discovered a wide-open Keenan Allen for a seven-yard rating, a part of a 17-point second quarter that gave the Chargers a 24-7 lead at halftime.
Veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack put it plainly.
“That was bulls—,” he stated. “And Jerry is aware of it, too. However I just like the response we acquired, realizing how everybody felt about that from the sideline. It was an excellent feeling.”
Mack responded with a franchise-record six sacks. He now has 14 sacks since becoming a member of the Chargers final season, and 9 of these have come in opposition to his former crew.
“When one thing like that is occurring, you simply feed him,” Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox stated. “He is a shooter, so that you let him preserve taking pictures. He is operating and he cannot be stopped. He was in a groove. He is the most effective to ever do it, so that you simply let a man like that go.”
Fox was one of many first gamers to come back to Herbert’s help.
“On the finish of the day, that is one among our teammates, one among our leaders and one among our greatest gamers,” Fox stated. “This enterprise is difficult sufficient as it’s. When stuff like that occurs, you have to go to bat to your guys. That is the tradition we have constructed right here. You may’t let stuff like that occur, so all of us ran over there.”
Added fellow defensive lineman Sebastian Joseph-Day: “I used to be like, what the hell is occurring? That is simply dumb. We put our our bodies on the road each week. And he ought to know. Everybody is aware of how harmful this recreation is. Stuff like that is not essential.”
Herbert didn’t have his finest day, ending 13-of-24 passing for 167 yards, with a landing and an interception. He additionally ran a career-high 12 instances for 27 yards and two scores.
Herbert suffered an damage to the center finger on his left hand within the fourth quarter that originally required tape and a stint. He injured the finger whereas attempting to make a deal with on the interception by Tre’von Moehrig. The Chargers moved to a pistol formation as a substitute of getting Herbert take snaps from beneath middle. He was capable of end the sport and now has the bye week to heal up from the damage.
For the Raiders, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was not lively as a result of he didn’t move concussion protocol this week. As an alternative, the Raiders began rookie Aiden O’Connell, who appeared good within the preseason. However the Purdue product discovered the arduous approach that exhibition pace of play is far totally different than common season.
Mack made life arduous for O’Connell, ending with 10 mixed tackles, together with 5 tackles for loss. The six sacks had been a career-high for him.
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Accidents as soon as once more stay a storyline for the Chargers. Receiver Mike Williams is out for the season after struggling an ACL knee damage in final week’s win over the Minnesota Vikings. Additionally out for the Chargers in opposition to the Raiders had been defensive finish Joey Bosa (hamstring/toe), security Derwin James (hamstring) and operating again Austin Ekeler (ankle).
Heart Corey Linsley was positioned on the reserve non-football sickness listing with a non-emergency heart-related difficulty. Security JT Woods additionally was positioned on the non-football sickness listing.
Down a handful of foundational gamers, the Chargers persevered — regardless of going for it on fourth-and-1 from their very own territory and failing for the second straight week. Herbert ran a quarterback sneak along with his injured left hand and didn’t get a yard on fourth-and-1 from L.A.’s 34-yard line with 3:34 remaining within the recreation.
Nevertheless, the protection got here up with a giant interception. Cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. undercut an O’Connell providing meant for Jakobi Meyers close to the objective line with 2:33 left to play.
On third-and-10 from L.A.’s 11-yard line, Herbert put the sport away with a 51-yard move to Josh Palmer, changing the primary down and placing the Chargers at 2-2 on the yr heading into the bye week.
“We might simply be 4-0,” coach Brandon Staley stated. “Some folks might say that we may very well be 1-3. Proper now … we’re a 2-2 soccer crew, and we’re a crew that’s enhancing.”
Eric D. Williams has reported on the NFL for greater than a decade, protecting the Los Angeles Rams for Sports activities Illustrated, the Los Angeles Chargers for ESPN and the Seattle Seahawks for the Tacoma Information Tribune. Observe him on Twitter at @eric_d_williams.
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