San Diego, CA (Sportsbooks) - Philip Rivers threw for three touchdowns and Vincent Jackson set a career-high with 148 receiving yards, as the
San Diego Chargers routed their AFC West-rival
Oakland Raiders, 34-7.
Rivers finished with 214 yards -- going over 3,000 yards (3,169) for the third straight season -- on 10-of-22 passing, and Jackson had a TD grab for the Chargers (5-8), who snapped a three-game slide and will play at Kansas City next week. LaDainian Tomlinson had 91 yards on 25 touches with a score in the win. Darren Sproles garnered two touchdowns on three catches.
Stephen Cooper had a pair of interceptions for San Diego, which beat the Raiders for the 11th straight time.
JaMarcus Russell was 9-of-13 for 68 yards with two picks and lost a fumble before leaving with a right ankle injury in the second quarter and not returning. Andrew Walter came in to replace Russell and ended 8-of-17 for 61 yards and an interception.
Justin Fargas led the way on the ground for Oakland (3-10) with 50 yards on 12 carries. Zach Miller logged 64 yards on eight grabs for the Raiders, who have lost two straight and six of seven overall and will host the Patriots next week. Justin Miller accounted for the only Oakland points via a 92-yard kickoff return for a TD.
On the opening drive of the game, the Chargers went 59 yards in seven plays before settling for a 20-yard Nate Kaeding field goal.
During Oakland's ensuing drive, Russell fumbled on 3rd-and-8 at the Raiders' 12-yard-line. It took Tomlinson three plays to find the end zone and give the home team a 10-0 lead with 8:43 showing on the clock.
"I think there are always certain teams that you enjoy playing and you just seem to match up well against," said Tomlinson.
San Diego held Oakland to just five plays on its following possession and the Chargers embarked on a trek that bridged the first two quarters.
Rivers hit Sproles for an eight-yard score and then Cooper picked off Russell on the Raiders' next series. Two plays later, Rivers hit Jackson for a 59-yard score and a 24-0 lead with 9:02 left in the half.
Kaeding hit a 39-yard boot with 23 ticks left in the first half but Miller returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a score, and it was 27-7 heading into the half.
All six possessions that began in the third quarter ended with a punt.
"We really struggled on third downs offensively," said Raiders head coach Tom Cable. "We just got behind early and couldn't dig ourselves out."
The Chargers then took over at their own 47 with 12:09 left in the game. It took the Bolts eight plays to find paydirt, as Sproles capped the drive with an 18-yard TD reception with 7:19 left to account for the final margin.
Game Notes
The Bolts are just one defeat away from their first losing record since going 4-12 in 2003...Since reaching the Super Bowl following the 2002 season, the Raiders are 22-71, the worst record in the league over that span. Cable, who has gone 2-6 since taking over following Lane Kiffin's firing, is the fifth coach the once-proud team has employed in the past six seasons...It was San Diego's 11th consecutive win in December, which is the NFL's longest active streak...The Raiders still lead the all-time series 54-42-2...Rivers is 19-4 as a starter at home.
