Chargers would have lost this game in years past

Oct 12, 2014; Oakland, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers defensive back Jahleel Addae (37) and cornerback Richard Marshall (31) and cornerback Jason Verrett (22) and inside linebacker Andrew Gachkar (59) celebrate after intercepting the ball from Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (not pictured) during the fourth quarter at O.co Coliseum. The San Diego Chargers defeated the Oakland Raiders 31-28. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Chargers would have lost this game in the past. It was not a pretty game and the defense did not come out prepared for the Raiders. It was sad to see the team struggle so much against a rookie quarterback. It brought back flashes of a team in the past that we don’t like to bring up so much any longer…. but we will talk a little about it today.

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In the past with Norv and company, that last touchdown that the Raiders scored would have sealed the game. The Raiders made another big impact play on offense and scored the touchdown and that would have taken our hearts out.

Instead, the team was able to answer back. Philip Rivers stood poised and leaned on the running game to help him out. Branden Oliver was up for the task and kept churning out yards for the team.

Even after the team scored the touchdown, there was fear bubbling up in our stomachs about letting the Raiders have another chance to win the game. When Carr tossed that deep pass to the sideline, we all were holding our breath because we had no idea who was going to come down with that ball. We already had it stuck in our minds that it would be a completion.

Even in the plays before the deep throw when we thought we won with the strip sack, the penalty was something that we would have done and it would have killed our momentum. It would have taken the air out of our sails.

This time around, we were able to battle through all the adversity and leave the game with the win! The new kids in town helped pull it off in a big way. Jason Verrett sealed it with the pick and Branden Oliver ran it up the throats for the win.