Raiders to go: What we learned from the 20-6 defeat against the Chargers

THE SCORE OF THE BOX

OAKLAND – The Raiders defense has been as good as before. The ground game has also begun.

There were positive moments in the Sunday clash between AFC West and L.A. Chargers at the Coliseum, but the result was predictable.

The Silver and Black were beaten 20-6 by a much better team that eventually created enough games to put that match in bed.

The Raiders suffered their fifth consecutive loss and fourth consecutive loss to rival Chargers, maintaining the first place in the draft.

Here are three takeaways from the game:

Offense stuck in the mud

The Raiders discovered the end zone at the end of the third quarter of a loss to the Indianapolis Colts in week eight, but have now spent nine consecutive quarters without a touchdown.

Coach Jon Gruden's attack has stalled for weeks, with a terrible pass attack blocked by poor pass protection and a questionable play at the qualifying positions.

They could get nothing against the Chargers and lost a solid defensive effort. They lost two points before the fourth quarter, even though the offense had many opportunities to get a lead.

Their best chance came from the fourth and goal of the 1 yard line. Gruden called Dwayne Harris, who was not able to get up and score. This was a determining factor for the Raiders, who moved the ball well but struggled to score points.

Derek Carr was fired four times during the day and has been sacked at least three times in four of the last five games. The passing game is virtually non-existent, and the Raiders have no momentum to receive threats outside of Jared Cook. This makes life taking yards in pieces, or moving the balloon consistently.

While the defense has been heavily criticized in recent weeks (and rightly so), the offense has been in serious trouble and has declined over the past month. This unit has failed to score a touchdown in three of its last four games.

In the final concession, Carr threw the ball in fourth place despite 14 points late in the game. They shouted uncle there, unable to find the goal zone with a unit that has trouble doing anything.

Big games still haunt Raiders' defense

There was a lot to like about how the Raiders played defense against the Chargers. The blanket was solid all the way through, and the quick pass could sometimes generate heat.

As usual, Raiders tend to give up big games. Philip Rivers threw a short pass to Melvin Gordon, who stumbled on the cornerback Gareon Conley and passed the safety torch to Reggie Nelson on a 66-yard pass for a Chargers touchdown. And, just like that, the Raiders lost two points with an attack that was struggling powerfully.

The big games have hurt the Raiders throughout the season, especially with the races and the dropping of the long plays of the short passes.

That was still the case on Sunday. The Raiders will have a hard time winning games with teams that can score quickly and easily.

Townsend turns around

Johnny Townsend has been heavily criticized on this website for a difficult start to his rookie season. There must be room for a solid representation of the Florida product.

Townsend showed a surprising speed on a fake crate, where he ran on the left for 42 meters. That seemed to make him get adrenaline pumping, and he followed up with his best day as an NFL bettor. He averaged 54 yards on three free kicks and scored one inside the Chargers' 10-yard line.

The Raiders were patient with their bettor and he rewarded them on Sunday.