Field Level Media
Nov 8, 2020
Justin Herbert's apparent game-winning 4-yard touchdown pass to tight end Donald Parham Jr. on the final play of the game was reversed on replay and the Las Vegas Raiders held on for a wild 31-26 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon at Inglewood, Calif.
Parham appeared to have won the game when he caught Herbert's fade pass over defensive back Isaiah Johnson while falling out of the right corner of the end zone. But the touchdown call was overturned when replay showed that the ball hit the ground as he rolled on the sideline chalk.
Derek Carr completed 13-of-23 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns for Las Vegas (5-3) which improved to 4-1 on the road and won its third straight away from home for just the third time in the past 15 seasons.
Justin Herbert completed 28-of-42 passes for 326 yards and two touchdowns for Los Angeles (2-6), which lost for the sixth time in seven games. Keenan Allen caught nine passes for 103 yards and a touchdown and Kalen Ballage led the ground attack with 69 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries.
The Raiders, despite playing without starting tackles Kolton Miller (ankle) and Trent Brown (COVID-19), as well as starting left guard Richie Incognito (Achilles), built a 14-7 first half lead behind a strong ground game that rolled up 97 yards, including a 23-yard touchdown run by Devontae Booker and a 14-yarder by Josh Jacobs.
But Los Angeles rebounded to take a 17-14 halftime lead by scoring 10 points in the final 19 seconds. The Chargers tied the game 14-14 on a 27-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to a wide-open Allen.
Two plays after the score Jerry Tillery, filling in for the injured Joey Bosa (concussion), got the ball back on a strip sack and fumble recovery of Carr at the Las Vegas 27-yard line. It was Carr's league-leading fifth fumble lost. Michael Badgley, who earlier had missed from 48 yards, booted a 45-yard field goal to give the Chargers their first lead.
Las Vegas bounced back to take a 28-17 lead in the third quarter as Carr connected with Nelson Agholor for a 45-yard touchdown pass.
Following a three-and-out by the Chargers, Carr came right back to throw a 2-yard touchdown pass to tight end Darren Waller to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive that featured a 53-yard completion from Carr to Hunter Renfrow on third down at the Las Vegas 31.
Los Angeles closed to 28-26 on a 29-yard field goal by Badgley and a four-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Gabe Nabers with 9:04 remining in the game. The Chargers tried to tie it with a two-point conversion but Tyrod Taylor was stopped on a scramble by linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski.
The Raiders took advantage of a muffed punt by KJ Hill that Kyle Wilber recovered at the Los Angeles 31 to increase their lead to 31-26 on a 31-yard field goal by Daniel Carlson with 4:41 left setting the stage for the dramatic ending.
--Field Level Media