Sep 23, 2008 - 4:00 PM
2 shoutsSAN DIEGO (1-2) AT OAKLAND (1-2), 4:05 pm EDT
OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin likes the direction his team is headed. Whether he's around to see where that goes is another matter.
With rumors again swirling that Kiffin's firing is imminent, the Raiders host the San Diego Chargers on Sunday in an AFC West contest.
Oakland (1-2) is coming off a crushing 24-23 loss at Buffalo last weekend. The Raiders held a nine-point lead with just over six minutes to play, only to see the Bills rally to win it on Rian Lindell's 38-yard field goal as time expired.
"I think we're much improved," Kiffin said. "There's no moral victories, but I do like the direction we're going."
Team owner Al Davis might not concur with his coach's assessment. Following Sunday's loss, multiple media outlets reported that Kiffin could be fired as early as the following day. A similar scenario unfolded after the Raiders were thrashed, 41-14, by Denver in their season opener.
"Does it help?" Kiffin said of the rumors. "No. I'm not going to sit up here and lie and say it helps and that it brings our team together and we're going to bond together like the movie 'Major League.' ... But I can't control it so all I can do is keep our team together."
The Raiders put forth a gritty effort against the unbeaten Bills, twice holding nine-point leads, the second coming on JaMarcus Russell's 84-yard scoring pass to Johnnie Lee Higgins.
With the high-powered Chargers coming to town, Oakland will rely on a running game that amassed 300 yards in a 23-8 victory at Kansas City two weeks ago.
The Raiders managed just 97 yards against the Bills as star rookie Darren McFadden was bothered by a turf toe injury and Justin Fargas was sidelined by a groin injury.
San Diego (1-2) finally broke into the win column with a 48-29 rout of the New York Jets on Monday night.
Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes for the third consecutive game for the Chargers, who bounced back from a pair of last-second defeats.
Despite star running back LaDainian Tomlinson's failure to crack 100 yards yet due to a nagging toe injury, San Diego has scored 110 points - second only to Denver's 114.
The Chargers, who swept the Raiders last season, are seeking their 10th consecutive win in the series.
From the Bleachers
-
SAN DIEGO: 28
OAKLAND: 18
Final
Sep 28 7:14 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 41 YD RUN
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 28
OAKLAND 18 1:04 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 28 7:03 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 47 YD
SAN DIEGO 21
OAKLAND 18 1:51 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 28 6:56 PM -
NFL
FG OAK
SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI 32 YD
SAN DIEGO 18
OAKLAND 18 2:47 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 28 6:50 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
LADAINIAN TOMLINSON 13 YD RUN
(PHILIP RIVERS PASS TO DARREN SPROLES FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
SAN DIEGO 18
OAKLAND 15 12:47 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 28 6:24 PM -
NFL
TD SDG
ANTONIO GATES 9 YD PASS FROM PHILIP RIVERS
(NATE KAEDING KICK)
SAN DIEGO 10
OAKLAND 15 14:12 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Sep 28 6:16 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 3
OAKLAND: 15
End of 3rd
Sep 28 6:13 PM -
NFL
FG SDG
NATE KAEDING 28 YD
SAN DIEGO 3
OAKLAND 15 7:34 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Sep 28 5:55 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 0
OAKLAND: 15
Halftime
Sep 28 5:29 PM -
Chargers 0, Raiders 12 2nd Quarter - 8:48
DialH
If SD doesn't make the playoffs, I'm going with the Colts and Jets.
Sep 28 5:13 PM -
NFL
FG OAK
SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI 28 YD
SAN DIEGO 0
OAKLAND 15 5:26 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 28 5:13 PM -
Chargers 0, Raiders 12 2nd Quarter - 8:48
DialH
San Diego was kidnapped and replaced with Kansas City!!! And The opposite happened!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sep 28 5:08 PM -
NFL
TD OAK
ZACH MILLER 63 YD PASS FROM JAMARCUS RUSSELL
(SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI KICK)
SAN DIEGO 0
OAKLAND 12 11:22 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Sep 28 4:59 PM -
SAN DIEGO: 0
OAKLAND: 5
End of 1st
Sep 28 4:43 PM -
NFL
SAFETY OAK
PHILIP RIVERS TACKLED BY GIBRIL WILSON IN END ZONE
SAN DIEGO 0
OAKLAND 5 7:23 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Sep 28 4:28 PM -
NFL
FG OAK
SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI 32 YD
SAN DIEGO 0
OAKLAND 3 10:57 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Sep 28 4:11 PM
