Raiders Don’t Let This Fish Off Hook : Pro football: Four Jaeger field goals and a strong defense are barely enough in a 12-7 victory over the Chargers.
SAN DIEGO — Once again, the Raiders took the early lead.
Once again, they dominated an opponent in the first 30 minutes of play.
Once again, they failed to put that opponent away and found themselves with a chance to lose the game on the final series.
But not this time.
This time, the Raiders regained their grip.
This time they played as well in the 60th minute as they had in the first.
This time, the clock ran out on an opponent.
Before a sellout crowd of 60,615 at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Sunday, the Raiders held off a late charge by the Chargers to emerge 12-7 winners.
“We wanted to play 60 minutes today,†Raider Coach Art Shell said. “We have been playing 30 and 40 minutes. We wanted to play a full game.â€
But it wasn’t a fully satisfying effort for the Raiders. Although they were able to dominate the Chargers, gobbling up yardage and time in huge chunks, the Raiders were unable to get the ball into the end zone. They were forced to use four Jeff Jaeger field goals and a tough defense to improve to 6-4.
But nobody seemed overly concerned in the Raider locker room afterward about the lack of touchdowns.
“Those things will come,†quarterback Jeff Hostetler said. “Everybody making a big deal out of it only makes it worse.â€
The Raiders, who had been outscored, 113-58, in the second halves of their previous nine games, were more interested in making a big deal out of the positive aspects of Sunday’s victory. There were plenty.
--They showed the offensive versatility they lacked in their previous meeting this season with the Chargers, mixing the pass and the run well. Hostetler completed 19 of 31 for 270 yards, going to James Jett seven times for 138 yards. Led by Greg Robinson’s 89 yards, the Raiders rushed for 151, their third consecutive week better than 100. They knew they would have to run after losing to the Chargers three weeks ago despite gaining 424 yards through the air. That was negated by a 65-yard rushing performance.
--They kept the defense on the sidelines for much of the afternoon. The Raiders had a huge edge in time of possession, 41:48 to 18:12.
--They held the Chargers to 59 yards rushing and 95 passing.
--They pulled to within one game of the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs, losers to Chicago on Sunday. The Chargers fell to 4-6.
The way the day started, it looked as if the Chargers might not even get the football until the second quarter.
Hostetler set the tone for the day with a 19-play, 86-yard drive that consumed 11:22 of the first quarter.
But another tone was also set when that drive stalled at the San Diego two-yard line.
Enter Jaeger for a 20-yard field goal.
The second quarter was a replay of the first. Another long Raider drive, this one for 89 yards on 13 plays spread over 7:16, another stall, this time at the San Diego three, another Jaeger three-pointer from 20 yards.
And that’s the way the half ended, Raiders on top, 6-0.
“It wasn’t any big deal being up 6-0,†Hostetler said.
No kidding.
The Raiders have blown bigger leads than that. In three of their four losses, they had either been tied or had the lead at the half.
It was a fact drummed into the Raiders’ collective minds over the past few weeks. “If you have a radio or TV,†defensive lineman Howie Long said, “if you get a newspaper, if you pick your kid up at school, if you go to the supermarket, it’s been impressed on you.â€
Charger Coach Bobby Ross tried to put some added pressure on the Raiders and inspire his club by switching quarterbacks at the half.
Stan Humphries had led the Chargers to the AFC West title last season. But an injured shoulder in San Diego’s exhibition finale had severely limited his effectiveness.
John Friesz had started the last five games and, even though Humphries was fully recovered, Friesz began Sunday’s game as well.
But when Friesz completed only three of eight passes for 38 yards, Ross inserted Humphries.
“I just thought we needed to do something to light a spark or put a fire under us,†Ross said, “and I thought maybe that would do it.â€
By the time Humphries finally ignited his offense, the Raiders had a 12-0 lead thanks to two more Jaeger field goals (37 and 27 yards) and there were slightly more than three minutes to play.
Looking like the Humphries of a year ago, the San Diego quarterback completed six consecutive passes, the sixth a nine-yarder to Nate Lewis in the end zone with 1:53 remaining.
Suddenly, it was 12-7. Suddenly, the Raiders were staring at another possible collapse.
When two on-side kicks bounced out of bounds, the Raiders gained possession and nearly ran the clock out before punting.
When Humphries got his hands back on the ball, only 14 seconds remained. From his 16-yard line, the Charger quarterback threw a desperate pass that defensive back Lionel Washington clutched tight to his chest.
No second-half surrender.
Not this time.
* CHIEFS LOSE: Bears rally in the final quarter, putting the Raiders right back in the AFC West hunt. C4
* ROOKIES: Greg Robinson controlled the ground game for the Raiders and James Jett made the big catches. C10
