Silver Minings: Darren Waller called for taunting penalty

A controversial new point of emphasis in the NFL this season went against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night.

In the second quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium, Raiders star tight end Darren Waller was called for taunting after he spiked the ball at the Chargers’ sideline after getting the Raiders’ first first down of the game.

The 15-yard penalty took away Las Vegas’ momentum and the Raiders ended up punting to end that drive. It appeared to be a very cheap call and Waller didn’t seem to have done anything excessive.

It was the first taunting call in the NFL in Week 4.

Perhaps these calls will slow down, because the call on Waller was iffy at best.

In other Raiders’ links:

• The best part of Raiders’ start? The Athletic tells you here.
• Bradley look: The Raiders’ website has a nice feature on Las Vegas defensive coordinator Gus Bradley.
• Perryman trade: Raiders’ linebacker Denzel Perryman is thrilled to be a Raider after his August trade from the Carolina Panthers,