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Week 4 of the NFL season concluded with the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders facing each other on Monday Night Football for the AFC West lead.
After a weekend filled with upsets and the return of Tom Brady to Foxboro, a great game between two division rivals is all we could've asked for to finish the week. As it turns out, the game was much better on paper than it was on the field.
NFL Monday Night Football: Los Angeles Chargers beat Las Vegas Raiders
The Chargers dominated the Raiders for most of the time, except for the beginning of the second half where the visitors tried to mount a comeback, but with no success.
Justin Herbert's exhibition and the running game were the pillars of Los Angeles' triumph. Even though the Raiders boasted one of the best pass rushes in the league, Herbert was kept clean for most of the day, suffering only two sacks and having time to explore the deeper areas of the field.
Austin Ekeler had a great night. He had a career-high 117 rushing yards and added 28 more, plus a touchdown, receiving the ball. The Raiders had no response to him, as the running back powered his way with 97 rushing yards through the tackles, another career-high.
The Chargers went into halftime with a fantastic 21-0 lead, but the Raiders scored two touchdowns on consecutive possessions to start thinking about a comeback. Gus Bradley made some crucial adjustments over the second half, sending more blitzes to Justin Herbert and taking away easy completions from him. As a result, he couldn't repeat his first-half performance.
The other Chargers player that was fantastic the whole night was Derwin James. The All-Pro safety is a blessing to watch when he's healthy, and with Brandon Staley calling the shots on defense, James has returned to his prime form as a deep safety. He even managed to grab an interception late in the game.
The Chargers and the Raiders have similar records (3-1), but Los Angeles lead the division because of the tiebreakers. The Chargers will face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, while the Raiders will face the Chicago Bears.
Final score: Las Vegas Raiders 14-28 Los Angeles Chargers
Las Vegas Raiders' top performers:
- QB: Derek Carr (21/34, 196 yards, 2 TDs, INT)
- RB: Josh Jacobs (13 carries, 40 yards)
- WR: Henry Ruggs (3 catches, 60 yards)
Los Angeles Chargers' top performers:
- QB: Justin Herbert (25/38, 222 yards, 3 TDs)
- RB: Austin Ekeler (15 carries, 117 yards)
- TE: Jared Cook (6 catches, 70 yards, TD)
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