BOX SCORE
The Raiders had it all set up for them, Denver losing at home to Kansas City, so they could claim the AFC West title by simply handling business against San Diego.It was not to be, not when the Raiders defense could not stop Philip Rivers and the Chargers.The Raiders finish 8-8 for the second straight season and out of the playoffs for the ninth straight season as the Broncos win the division based on a common opponents tie-breaker that came down to Denver beating Miami, while the Raiders lost to the Dolphins.Fans deserved better than this: After selling out all eight home games for the first time since the Raiders returned to Oakland from Los Angeles in 1995, when they sold out six, fans deserved a home playoff game. In fact, they deserved better than this. Much better. The leaky Raider defense was shredded by Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers never punted. Indeed, it was a bittersweet ending to such a fan-involved season.Poor clock management: The Raiders threw away at least three points at the end of the first half, when Carson Palmer hit Louis Murphy for a six-yard pass across the middle with no timeouts and 11 seconds on the clock when the ball was snapped. Palmer had no time to spike the ball to attempt a field goal. An incomplete pass and it would have been a 56-yard field goal attempt.Almost a safety: While one official called it a safety, replays confirmed that the ball was out of the end zone when Richard Goodman flubbed a pooch kickoff. Seemed like the Raiders had the Chargers right where they wanted them, right? Um, 99 12 yards later, no.Bush misses milestone: Michael Bush, who did not become the Raiders's starting running back until Week 9, when Darren McFadden went out with his injured right foot, needed 89 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the season. He fell just short with a 66-yard outing, though 31 yards came in the Raiders' first drive.No pressure: The biggest difference between this game and the Nov. 10 affair the Raiders won in San Diego? The Raiders' front four brought very little pressure. After six sacks down south, including four by Kamerion Wimbley, the Raiders were shut out in the sack department this time around, giving RIvers all the time in the world to pick apart the Raiders defense.DHB career high: No doubt he'd trade it in for a playoff berth, but Darrius Heyward-Bey's nine catches were a career high. He had 130 yards receiving with a touchdown.New penalty standard: With eight penalties for 64 yardsm the Raiders set new single-season records with 163 penalties for 1,358 yards, eclipsing the 158 penalties for 1,304 yards set by the 1998 Kansas City Chiefs. It is the record-setting 17th time the Raiders have led the NFL in penalties.
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