Chargers end Raiders' playoff hopes

OAKLAND - Re-gifting has become an accepted holiday tradition for a lot of people, but the Raiders took the concept to an extreme Sunday. They got a huge present from the Broncos, who left open the door to the AFC West title by losing against Kansas City. But the Raiders gave it right back, falling 38-26 to the San Diego Chargers in an epic defensive collapse that knocked Oakland out of the playoffs for the ninth consecutive season.

"Words can't describe how disappointed we are," safety Tyvon Branch said. "We had everything set up for us. We had a rollercoaster season, and we had a chance to get in the big tournament still, and we blew it."

At 8-7, the Raiders entered the game with a chance at either the division title or an AFC wild-card berth. The latter option evaporated before opening kickoff at O.co Coliseum, erased by a Jets loss and a Titans victory in early games. But the West was still up for grabs. And with about 6:30 left in the game, the Oakland crowd began to chant "Denver lost," informing the Raiders that a home playoff game next weekend remained a possibility.

But the score was already 38-26 at that point, and it never got any closer. After the Raiders drove to the San Diego 34-yard line, quarterback Carson Palmer missed Jacoby Ford on an out route and cornerback Antoine Cason intercepted.

The Chargers were able to grind down most of the remaining 4:36, a predictable conclusion to a game in which San Diego gained 463 yards (153 rushing, 310 through the air), converted 7 of 10 third-down plays, and didn't punt once.

"It feels like a bad dream, for sure. But it's reality," defensive tackle Richard Seymour said. "The reality of it is, we couldn't stop 'em when we needed to. That's just the bottom line. … I don't think we stopped 'em all day."

He's almost right. San Diego's first possession ended with an interception by safety Matt Giordano, and Oakland responded with a touchdown drive to go up 7-0. After that, the Chargers went touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, field goal, touchdown, missed field goal and touchdown. They gave up the ball on downs with 26 seconds remaining, when they mercifully resorted to taking a knee.

Rivers had been one of the NFL's major disappointments in 2011. On Nov. 10 in San Diego, the Raiders sacked him six times and held him to a season-low completion percentage of 48.9.

This time, he was barely touched all game, and the Oakland defensive backs were shredded by wide receiver Malcolm Floyd (seven catches for 127 yards) and tight end Antonio Gates (five for 106).

Safety Mike Mitchell, linebacker Rolando McClain and cornerback Lito Sheppard all were victimized on Rivers' scoring throws, and a pass interference penalty on cornerback Stanford Routt set up Mike Tolbert's 1-yard rushing touchdown.

The Chargers also got a 105-yard kickoff return for a second-quarter touchdown by rookie Richard Goodman. It was the longest ever given up by the Raiders.

Sunday's defensive collapse meant Oakland's opponents totaled 433 points against the Raiders. Only two Raiders teams, in 1961 and 2004, ever gave up more. That '04 squad was coached by Norv Turner, who was on the opposite sideline Sunday. Current Raiders coach Hue Jackson, pointedly upset after the game, sounded ready to scorch the earth to get things settled on defense.

Asked whether defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan should bear a portion of the blame, Jackson said: "We'll see. We'll see. I think Chuck knows how I feel. I'm disappointed over there. I have been. It's not like we haven't had conversations. Chuck knows what I feel, and it's not good enough."

The home team clung to life even into the fourth quarter Sunday. After San Diego's Nick Novak missed a field-goal attempt with 11:05 left, the revitalized Raiders moved swiftly down the field and scored in three plays, the last one a 22-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer to Kevin Boss. The tight end banged his head on safety Steve Gregory's knee and left the game with a concussion, but held onto the ball as he fell to the ground.

That cut San Diego's lead to 31-26, and the Raiders nearly scored again on the ensuing kickoff when the ball bounced past Goodman and the return man barely got it out of the end zone. Oakland's Quentin Groves dropped him inside the 1-yard line.

"I seen him come out to field it, then go back in, so I was like, &‘get him down, get him down, get him down,'" Groves said.

"I thought it was a safety, but the refs thought otherwise. There's so many things that could have gone the other way in this game."

The Raiders still looked poised to grab the lead. But Rivers immediately hit Floyd for a 19-yard gain over Sheppard, and the 6-foot-5 receiver scored four snaps later on a 43-yard reception, breaking Sheppard's tackle to get into the end zone.

Five weeks ago, the Raiders were 7-4 and in control of their destiny. Then came blowout losses at Miami and Green Bay, followed by a last-minute heartbreaker at home against Detroit. The Raiders' overtime win at Kansas City on Christmas Eve gave them new hope; Sunday's game ripped it away from them, Grinch-like.

So Jackson's team finished 8-8 along with Denver and San Diego, losing the playoff tiebreaker to the Broncos. It's the same record that got coach Tom Cable fired a year ago. So close to the postseason, the Raiders will be watching the action on TV again.At least those who can bear it will.

"I ain't watching no playoffs," defensive tackle Tommy Kelly said. "I'm watching History Channel and Fox Sports Soccer."

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You can reach Staff Writer Phil Barber at 521-5263 or phil.barber@pressdemocrat.com.