Brandon Staley is trending on X, and it’s not hard to figure out why.
He may be coaching his final game with the Chargers the way Thursday Night Football is going.
The Chargers are playing like a defeated team, down 42-0 to the Raiders at halftime of a primetime game. It’s tied for the second-biggest halftime margin in NFL history behind only the Patriots 45-0 lead on the Titans in 2009.
The Raiders scored 46 points in their past four games combined and were coming off a 3-0 loss to the Vikings on Sunday.
Los Angeles has 89 yards, three lost fumbles, a turnover on downs and four punts. The team’s first half possessions ended punt, fumble, fumble, punt, punt, punt, downs and end of half.
Chargers quarterback Easton Stick, subbing for the injured Justin Herbert, fumbled on a strip-sack by Malcolm Koonce that Tyree Wilson recovered at the Chargers 42. On the Chargers’ next snap, on their third possession, running back Joshua Kelley fumbled on a hit by Marcus Epps that Jerry Tillery recovered at the Chargers 31.
In the second quarter, Chargers punt returner Derius Davis fumbled when DJ Turner ripped out the ball and recovered it.
The Raiders scored touchdowns on six of eight possessions, with drives of 68, 42, 31, 14, 65 and 49.
Raiders running back Zamir White, who is playing for the injured Jacobs, scored his first career touchdown on a 1-yard run. Rookie Aidan O’Connell has thrown touchdown passes to Tre Tucker, Jakobi Meyers, Michael Mayer and Tucker. Brandon Bolden, who had no carries this season before tonight, scored his first touchdown since 2021 on a 26-yard run.
O’Connell is 14-of-23 for 198 yards and four touchdowns, with Davante Adams catching five passes for 73 yards.
The rookie quarterback had four passing touchdowns in 210 attempts entering tonight.
The Chargers have ruled out cornerback Essang Bassey (concussion), while linebacker Kenneth Murray is playing through a shoulder injury.
