FLASH RECAP:
Nate Kaeding kicks five field goals and Philip Rivers throws for a touchdown as visiting San Diego defeats Oakland in their 2012 season opener before an announced crowd of 61,896 at O.co Coliseum on Sept. 10.
The Chargers (1-0) spoil the Raiders coaching debut of Dennis Allen, Oakland's third head coach the past three seasons and eighth since 2002.
Allen, the NFL's youngest head coach at 39, watches his Raiders implode almost from the start.
Oakland (0-1) coughs up the football on its opening drive, Kaeding kicks three field goals after poor Raiders snaps in punt formation in the second half and Oakland keeps alive San Diego's only TD drive with penalties.
The Raiders fall to 1-8 the past eight home games against the rival Chargers and Oakland is a 1-9 in season openers the last 10 years.
The Raiders are held without a touchdown until Carson Palmer throws a 2-yard pass to Rod Streater with 54 seconds left.
The most glaring aspect of Oakland's performance is the bad snapping of linebacker Travis Goethel, subbing for Pro Bowl long snapper Jon Condo who sustains a concussion during the second quarter. The second bad snap by Goethel leads to a blocked Shane Lechler punt and the two other snaps does not allow Lechler to kick the ball.
The botched snaps help the Chargers turn a 10-6 halftime lead into a 19-6 advantage early in the fourth quarter.
Oakland's defense is stout, forcing the Chargers to settle for four field goals in five possessions inside the Raiders' 25-yard line.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
QB Philip Rivers — Is 24 of 33 passing for 231 yards and a TD. Rivers throws a 6-yard scoring pass to Malcolm Floyd with 3:10 left in the second quarter to cap a 10-play drive, giving San Diego a 10-3 lead.
K Nate Kaeding — Is 5 for 5 on field goal attempts from 23, 28, 19, 41 and 45 yards. Kaeding becomes the first player to kick five field goals in a game against the Raiders.
OLB Shaun Phillips - Has two of San Diego's three sacks on Carson Palmer.
RB Darren McFadden — Has a career-high 13 receptions — second in franchise history to Tim Brown’s 14 in 1997 — for 86 yards. McFadden has only 32 rushing yards on 15 carries.
KEY STATS:
THEY SAID IT:
Raiders coach Dennis Allen
"We moved the ball well but we didn’t get in the end zone. That’s the main thing — you have to get points in those situations. We didn’t get the ball in the end zone and we didn’t get the points."
Raiders RB Darren McFadden
BY THE NUMBERS:
DID YOU KNOW?:
Oakland defense — Allows only one TD and 258 total yards, including 32 rushing yards on 20 attempts (1.6 yards per play).
TE Brandon Myers — Has a career-high 5 catches for 65 yards.
On San Diego's second-quarter TD drive, Philip Rivers is 8 for 8 passing for 73 yards. The Chargers also are 4 for 4 on third-down conversions. The rest of the game, they are 1 for 9.
Raiders DT Tommy Kelly is whistled for encroachment and false start penalties on San Diego's second-quarter TD drive. The Raiders commit only six penalties for 35 yards during the game.
With 13 catches for 86 yards, Darren McFadden sets a Raiders franchise record for most receptions by a running back.
“Got to eliminate the self-inflicted wounds. That’s the thing that hurt us in the preseason and obviously hurt us tonight."
2-9: Raiders record the past 11 games against San Diego in Oakland.
3-15: Raiders record against San Diego the past 18 meetings.
8-3: Norv Turner's win-loss record against the Raiders as Chargers coach.
Turner had a 9-23 record in two seasons (2004 & 2005) as Raiders coach.
San Diego's Norv Turner ties former Raiders coach and Hall of Famer John Madden with his 112th careeer win. Turner is 112-117 while Madden is 112-39, 33rd best all-time among NFL head coaches.
The Chargers' Philip Rivers improves to 6-1 as a starter against the Raiders in regular-season games in Oakland.
The Raiders are 0-6 in their last half-dozen Monday Night Football games at O.co Coliseum. Oakland has not won a MNF home game since a 26-20 win over the New York Jets on Dec. 2, 2002.
Raiders’ head coaches have a 9-9 win-loss record in their first game with the team. Bill Callahan in 2002 was the last Raiders’ head coach to win his first game.
