The Los Angeles Chargers allowed touchdowns on the Oakland Raiders’ final possession of the first half and opening drive of the second half in a 24-17 loss Sunday in their final game at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Quarterback David Carr scrambled 3 yards for a touchdown eight seconds before halftime, then completed all four of his passes for 35 yards on a 13-play, 75-yard drive that culminated with DeAndre Washington’s 5-yard touchdown run that increased Oakland’s lead to 21-7.
Washington rushed for 33 of his game-high 85 yards on the drive before an overwhelmingly pro-Raider crowd announced at 25,380.
The Chargers responded by driving 83 yards on 10 plays on the ensuing possession, with Melvin Gordon running 1 yard for a touchdown, one play after Philip Rivers completed an 18-yard pass to Keenan Allen.
Rivers completed six of seven passes for 69 yards on the drive, including a 17-yard pass to Austin Ekeler on the play before the completion to Allen.
Daniel Carlson kicked a 48-yard field goal on Oakland’s next possession to give the team a 24-14 lead with eight minutes, 28 seconds to play.
The Chargers again pulled within seven on Michael Badgley’s 27-yard field goal with 1:29 remaining. Oakland sealed the victory when Darren Waller recovered Badgley’s attempted onside kickoff.
The Chargers (5-10) were outgained 366 yards to 284 and trailed 33:24-26:36 in time of possession in their fifth loss in their last six games, four by seven points or less. They led 21-19 in first downs.
Rivers completed 27 of 39 passes for 279 yards. Carr completed 26 of 30 passes for 291 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow on the Raiders’ first possession, as Oakland (7-8) ended a four-game losing streak.
The Chargers punted on each of their first five possessions, picking up two first downs. Gordon ran 1 yard for a touchdown with 1:54 left in the first half on the Chargers’ sixth possession, tying the score, 7-7.
The eight-play, 78-yard drive included 17- and 10-yard pass interference penalties against the Raiders and an illegal use of hands penalty that gave the Chargers a third first down.
The victory kept Oakland’s faint playoff hopes alive.
The Raiders would qualify for the second AFC wild-card berth if they defeat the Denver Broncos next Sunday, the Tennessee Titans lose to the Houston Texans, the Pittsburgh Steelers lose to the Baltimore Ravens and the Indianapolis Colts defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Chargers will begin play at SoFi Stadium in 2020, which is under construction at the former site of the Hollywood Park racetrack in Inglewood and will be owned by the Los Angeles Rams, who will also play there.
Visiting fans consistently outnumbered Chargers fans during their seasons at the 27,000-seat Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, by far the NFL’s smallest stadium.