Raiders 27, Chargers 17
OAKLAND -- Charles Woodson tied an NFL record for defensive scores when he returned a fumble 25 yards for a third-quarter touchdown Sunday night, and the Oakland Raiders took advantage of five San Diego turnovers to record a 27-17 victory over the Chargers.
Coming off a home loss in which they blew a 14-0 lead, the Raiders used Terrelle Pryor touchdown passes to Rod Streater and Denarius Moore to build a 17-0 halftime advantage against their AFC West rivals.
Woodson's big play provided the difference-making points, increasing Oakland's lead to 24-3 with 2:37 remaining in the third. The veteran free safety scooped up a bouncing ball that was produced by a Nick Roach hit on Danny Woodhead.
The defensive score was the 13th of Woodson's career, tying the NFL mark held by Rod Woodson and Darren Sharper.
Philip Rivers, held in check for the better part of three quarters, rallied the Chargers within 24-17 with 10:17 to play with short touchdown passes to Woodhead and rookie Keenan Allen.
The 7-yard connection with Allen, his first professional score, made it a one-possession game. However, Sebastian Janikowski connected on a 50-yard field goal with 4:24 left to stretch Oakland's lead back to 10 points, and Rivers was intercepted in the end zone by Raiders rookie DJ Hayden with 1:48 to go.
Woodson also had an interception in the final seconds, giving him at least one pick in 16 consecutive seasons.
Rivers, who entered the game with the second-highest passer rating in the NFL, threw for 411 yards on 36-of-49 passing. However, his two touchdown passes were more than offset by three interceptions as the Chargers, who were coming off an impressive 30-21 win over the Dallas Cowboys, fell to 2-3.
San Diego's Vincent Brown made eight catches for 117 yards, and Allen added six catches for 115 yards.
Pryor completed 18 of 23 passes for 221 yards, and he rushed 11 times for 31 yards. The Raiders ran their record to 2-3 despite the absence of running back Darren McFadden, who sat out with a hamstring injury.
Pryor's two touchdown passes were 44 yards to Streater and 2 yards to Moore.
The Raiders played a near-perfect first half en route to a 17-0 lead at the break. Oakland scored on both quick-striking and time-consuming drives, making key defensive plays both to stop San Diego drives and set up their own.
It took Oakland all of three plays to take charge, with safety Usama Young intercepting Rivers' first pass of the night, a bomb down the middle of the field that missed its intended target by a full 10 yards. The interception was the Raiders' first of the season.
One play later, Oakland had the lead. Streater beat Derek Cox on a streak pattern down the right sideline, and Pryor hit him in stride for a 44-yard touchdown. The score was Streater's first of the season, and the gain was the Raiders' second-longest of the year.
The Raiders also scored on their second possession, only this time took eight minutes more to do it.
Moore's touchdown catch capped a 13-play, 88-yard drive on which Pryor completed all seven of his passes. The capper came from 2 yards out as Pryor rolled right, giving Moore a chance to break free in the back of the end zone.
San Diego countered with its best drive of the half, going 79 yards in 14 plays. However, the final two plays, from the Oakland 1, went nowhere. Antonio Gates dropped a Rivers pass, and then Raiders linebacker Kevin Burnett stuffed Woodhead inches short of the goal line on a fourth-down rushing attempt.
Janikowski made it 17-0 later in the second period after the Chargers' second turnover -- a muffed punt by Eddie Royal -- set up Oakland at the San Diego 37. The Raiders advanced the ball only 8 yards before Janikowski connected on a 47-yard field goal.
Pryor was 13-for-18 in the half for 141 yards and added 30 yards on four rushes. Rivers also completed 13 of 18 passes but for just 96 yards.
NOTES: Chargers RB Ryan Mathews suffered a concussion in the first half and did not return. He had three carries for 8 yards. ... The game was billed as the latest-starting contest in NFL history. Kickoff was shortly after 8:30 p.m. Pacific time. ... The O.co Coliseum changeover from baseball to football configuration, which began almost immediately after the Oakland A's beat the Detroit Tigers 1-0 at close to 10:30 p.m. Saturday night, was completed by 3 p.m. Sunday. ... Both teams had two regular offensive line starters among the inactive players. The Chargers were without LT King Dunlap and LG Chad Rinehart, who were replaced by LT Mike Harris and LG Johnnie Troutman. LT Menelik Watson and C Stefen Wisniewski were out for the Raiders. RT Matt McCants started for Watson, with OT Khalif Barnes shifting over to the other side of the line. C/G Andre Gurode replaced Wisniewski. ... Other inactives for the Chargers were QB Brad Sorensen, WR Lavelle Hawkins, SS Brandon Taylor, OLB Tourek Williams and DT Kwame Geathers. ... Joining McFadden, Watson and Wisniewski on the Raiders' inactive list were S Tyvon Branch, OT Tony Pashos, WR Juron Criner and DT Stacy McGee. ... Three quarterbacks were active for Oakland: Pryor, Matt McGloin and Matt Flynn.
