FLASH RECAP:
LaDainian Tomlinson scores on a 19-yard run three minutes, 38 seconds into overtime to give the Chargers (6-1) a victory over the Raiders before an announced crowd of 60,974 at Network Associates Coliseum on Oct. 20, 2002. Tomlinson (above) rushes for 153 yards on 39 carries and scores twice as the Chargers end a four-game losing streak at Oakland.
The Raiders (4-2) force overtime on Rich Gannon's 7-yard touchdown pass to Jon Ritchie with 1:21 left in regulation. Drew Brees throws touchdown passes to Reche Caldwell (9 yards) and Tomlinson (4 yards) as AFC West-leading San Diego builds a 14-0 lead. Gannon rallies the Raiders with touchdown passes to Jerry Rice (4 yards) and Jerry Porter (17 yards). Chargers first-year coach Marty Schottenheimer improves to 20-5 against the Raiders.
Phillip Buchanon and Terry Kirby, Oakland's top kick returners, sustain major injuries. Buchanon, a rookie cornerback and punt returner, breaks his left wrist in the second quarter defending a pass. He's expected to be sidelined eight weeks. Kirby will be lost the rest of the season after breaking his right leg. The 10-year veteran fractures the fibula and tibia bones when he returns a third-quarter kickoff.
PRIME-TIME PLAYERS:
RB LaDainian Tomlinson - Rushes for 153 yards on a career-high 39 carries and one touchdown. He also scores San Diego's second touchdown on a 4-yard catch.
QB Drew Brees - Completes 16 of 25 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns. The former Purdue star also scores on a 1-yard sneak to give the Chargers a 21-14 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. Brees doesn't have great passing numbers, but he avoids any turnovers and converts six of 13 third-down situations.
WR Tim Dwight - Two of his four catches come on San Diego's winning drive in overtime. He also rushes for 19 yards on a double-reverse on the Chargers' first touchdown drive.
DE Adrian Dingle - Contributes two of the Chargers' three sacks on Rich Gannon.
MLB Donnie Edwards - Intercepts Rich Gannon at the San Diego 12-yard line after Gannon's shovel pass deflects off Charlie Garner. Edwards also has a team-high eight solo tackles.
QB Rich Gannon - Completes 21 of 25 passes for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the second half, but he fails to engineer any scoring drives in the first half.
WR Jerry Rice - Has a game-high nine catches for 86 yards and a touchdown. He also draws 20- and 28-yard pass interference penalties.
WR Jerry Porter - Has five receptions for 67 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown catch early in the fourth quarter.
LB Eric Barton - Contributes Oakland's only two sacks, a forced fumble and nine total tackles.
FB Jon Ritchie - Scores the game-tying touchdown on a 7-yard catch with 1:21 left in regulation.
KEY STAT:
The Oakland defense tackles San Diego's LaDainian Tomlinson for negative yards on 11 of his 39 carries for a minus-28. The second-year Chargers running back rushes for 181 yards in the other 28 attempts.
GOAT:
Raiders kicker Sebastien Janikowski misses 27- and 48-yard field goal attempts. His 27-yarder in the first quarter strikes the right upright and the 48-yard attempt early in the fourth quarter is wide left. Janikowski tells reporters after the game: "I was terrible, obviously. It was just one of those days."
TURNING POINT:
After winning the coin toss before the start of overtime, the Chargers need only eight plays to drive 80 yards for the winning touchdown. On third-and-10 from the San Diego 45, Drew Brees completes a 25-yard pass to Tim Dwight to the Oakland 30. After two runs by LaDainian Tomlinison gain no yards, Brees again hits Dwight for an 11-yard completion to the Oakland 19. On the next play, Tomlinson bolts off left tackle to score his second touchdown of the game.
BY THE NUMBERS:
-
0: Touchdowns by Oakland in the first half of its past two games against St. Louis and San Diego.
3: Consecutive missed field goal attempts by Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski.
20: Victories by first-year Chargers coach Marty Schottenheimer in 25 career games against the Raiders.
88: Yards rushing by the Chargers' LaDainian Tomilinson in the fourth quarter and overtime.
THEY SAID IT:
Chargers SS Rodney Harrison
"We came out here in a hostile situation, playing against a great offense, playing against a great team, and we proved we can win.
That's what you have to do if you want to make a statement in the
National Football League. You've got to knock off some of the top teams. You have to come in and do it under uncomfortable situations.
What better place than here, against a team that has totally dominated
you for years and always beat you at home?. This means a lot."
"We got down the field on the first two drives and came away with nothing. That was the bitter part of the story today ... We're looking at a minimum of six points, possibly a 10-point advantage, and (instead) we got behind the 8-ball."
Raiders coach Bill Callahan
"Every time I come here, it's the same thing. We had fun with that crowd. They're hostile. We understand that. That's how we've got to get our fans, hostile. Just without the bottles."
Chargers DT Leo Carson
DID YOU KNOW?:
Since 1995, the Raiders are winless in three overtime games at Oakland's Network Associates Coliseum. They also lost to Minnesota (16-13) in 1996 and Arizona (34-31) in 2001.
San Diego's LaDainian Tomilison (21) rushes against Oakland.
By San Diego Union-Tribune
