Raiders grades: Winning the game in 3 phases keys upset of the Chargers

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Las Vegas Raiders secured a 26‑14 victory over AFC West rival Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium on Sunday. **Offense: A-** Kirk Cousins threw for 253 yards, completing 19 of 29 attempts with three touchdowns and one interception. Wide receiver Tre Tucker accounted for five catches worth 119 yards, including two receptions of 40 plus yards and a touchdown. Practice squad wideout Cody White hauled in two touchdown passes. Running back Ashton Jeanty carried the ball 21 times for 48 yards as the Chargers concentrated their defensive effort on him. **Defense: A+** Justin Herbert was limited to 192 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, the latter both coming to rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses, who started in place of the injured Darien Porter. Malcolm Koonce and linebacker Nakobe Dean combined for a sack. Dean stopped a third‑down attempt midway through the third quarter, forced a fumble by running back Omarion Hampton and saw Jeremy Chinn recover the ball in the fourth period. Dean also registered two of the defense’s nine hits on Herbert. **Special Teams: A** Kicker Matt Gay nailed a 59‑yard field goal as the second quarter expired, the longest of his eight‑year career. Punter AJ Cole averaged 46.2 yards on six punts, consistently pinning the Chargers deep in their own territory. **Coaching: A-** Head coach Klint Kubiak showed assertiveness as both game manager and play caller, converting a critical second‑half fourth down and calling several downfield completions. On an 11‑play, 74‑yard drive that began with a fourth‑and‑1 sneak by fullback Connor Heyward from the Raiders’ 35‑yard line, the offense kept the chains moving; the series concluded with a touchdown pass from Cousins to Cody White. The same drive featured a flip to Ashton Jeanty that turned into a throwback to Cousins, who then connected with Dareke Young for a 27‑yard gain in addition to Tucker’s two 40‑plus‑yard receptions. Defensive coordinator Rob Leonard’s unit pressured Herbert for most of the four quarters, and after a fourth‑quarter timeout the Chargers lined up with 12 men on a fourth‑down play; Dean forced the ensuing fumble that Chinn recovered.