Raiders week 6 Ballers & Busters: Part two

With Ballers noted, we move to the Busters in the Raiders come-from-behind, blow-the-lead, 31-28 loss to the San Diego Chargers.

Busters

Miles Burris

At some point in this game it became obvious what Philip Rivers was doing was simply searching for where Miles Burris was on the field and going at him. It worked like a charm. On the Chargers' second touchdown drive, Burris was a serious liability. He missed a tackle on a 4-yard run that set up third and one. Two plays later he was blocked on a 5-yard run to again set up third and one. The Chargers would put themselves in first and goal at the nine-yard line on the next play. Then after two good plays, the Chargers were in third and goal at the six-yard line. And despite the Raiders putting in what looked to be the correct call, Burris seemed to just stand there as Malcom Floyd came off the line and caught the touchdown right in front of him.

On the following Chargers drive, with them in third and four, the pocket was closing on Philip Rivers and Burris was supposed to slam the door on the pocket. Instead he got slammed to the ground and Rivers ran right up the middle for nine yards.

With the Chargers in second and goal from the 7-yard line, Burris gave up a 6-yard run to the one yard line. They scored on the next play to tie the game at 21.

With the Raiders having retaken the lead at 28-21 midway through the fourth quarter, Rivers knew where to go to get points. He went at Burris on the first pass for 16 yards. The Raiders were in zone on the next play, and he put it in the soft spot between Burris and Usama Young. A few plays later, Burris was out of position on a 20-yard screen pass. Rivers went to the Burris well one too many times though, and Burris expecting it, knocking down a pass in the endzone. Two plays later, they settled for a field goal.

The Chargers were still down by four so it was back to work on the next drive. Burris didn't stay at home on another Rivers scramble, this time for ten yards. Two plays later Burris was blocked on a ten-yard run to put the Chargers in first and goal at the 7-yard line. Two plays later, they punched it in for what turned out to be the game winner.

The worst news is with Roach on injured reserve, there's no indication Burris won't be the starting middle linebacker the remainder of the season.

Usama Young

Speaking of backups who aren't getting it done. The Chargers got on the board on their first drive largely through Young. He gave up a 27-yard catch on second play of the series and a 10-yard catch on the next play to put them into Raiders territory at the 40-yard line. The Chargers came out firing in the third quarter with two good drives. Young was out of position on a 15-yard catch on the first drive and gave up a touchdown catch on the second one. He later didn't come up in the zone to give up a 19-yard catch and the Chargers finished the drive with a field goal. Once they scored the touchdown late, that field goal turned out to be the difference in the game.

Pat Sims, LaMarr Woodley

Paging Sims and Woodley. Sims and Woodley, could you please pick up the white courtesy phone... Between two of them, they had a total of one solo tackle and one assist. All the while Chargers rookie running back, Branden Oliver, went for over 100 yards rushing and a touchdown and Philip Rivers was picking apart the Raiders defense. To Woodley's credit, he had a quarterback hurry in this one. He also matched his solo tackle total from his previous four games. That's right, he had one solo tackle coming into this game and added one. Sims didn't even have a solo tackle. He had one assist. He was also pushed out the way on a 5-yard run on the Chargers first touchdown drive. Woodley missed a tackle on a run that set up the Chargers' second touchdown. With the quick little pat down he gave Oliver on his way by, he should be working security at the game instead of playing in it. Sims overpursued on a 9-yard run on the Chargers' third touchdown drive. Then to finish it off, on the Chargers final touchdown drive, Sims missed a tackle on a 10-yard run to set up first and goal at the 7-yard line. Two plays later, Oliver leapt over him for the touchdown.

Mychal Rivera

While Sims and Woodley were a blip on the radar, Rivera was lost in the Bermuda Triangle or something. He was targeted three times in this game and had zero catches with one flat out drop. And we see less and less of David Ausberry each week, for some odd reason.

Sebastian Janikowski

He had one chance to get on the board in this game and he missed it. The Raiders called upon him to hit what is supposed to be a no-doubter for the ‘Polish Cannon' from 53 yards out and he pulled it wide left. Those three points ended up being the difference in this game. Thus far this season, Janikowski has kicked a field goal in just one game. It was in New England. He kicked three in that game - the only points scored by the Raiders that day - and that's been it for Seabass. But hey, he has an extra point streak going. It has hit 175. So, there's that.

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