AmazonNFLBy Michael Dixon on

Anyone tuning into Thursday’s game between the Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders hoping to see a spirited effort from two division rivals trying to cling to their postseason hopes likely came away disappointed. The Raiders pummeled the Chargers 63-21, opening up a 21-0 lead after the first quarter, a 42-0 halftime lead and a 56-7 lead after three quarters.

Calling the game for Amazon Prime, Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit really didn’t try to sugarcoat the Los Angeles performance.

It started early. With the Raiders leading 14-0 in the first quarter, Herbstreit and Michaels talked about the struggles of the Charger defense.

“That defense, and that’s Brandon Staley’s pedigree — he came from the Rams where he ran the defense under Sean McVay — they’re 29th in yards allowed, 29th in passing and they look like it. Meanwhile, last week, 12 possessions no points [the Raiders]. Tonight, two possessions, 14.”

The hits kept on coming. With the Chargers now trailing 21-0, return man Derius Davis fumbled a punt deep in his own territory. The Raiders recovered and would soon score to go up 28-0.

“Everything going right for the Raiders. Everything going — just a disaster — for the Chargers,” Herbstreit said.

Michaels agreed, calling the game to that point a “Complete nightmare for the Chargers.”

The hits kept on coming. Brandon Bolden scored to put Las Vegas up 35-0, causing Herbstreit to say that Los Angeles looked “defeated,” something Michaels agreed with.

After going up 42-0, the Raiders were getting ready to kick off. Michaels quipped that, “If this were Pop Warner, they’d stop the game, right?” while Herbstreit wondered about a running clock, essentially likening the game to an NCAA powerhouse like Alabama taking on a Division 2 school — and they weren’t wrong.

Michaels did praise Chargers coach Brandon Staley for doing an interview with Kaylee Hartung, perhaps her most awkward interview the one with Robert Saleh only seconds after his New York Jets surrendered a pick-six against the Miami Dolphins while trying a Hail Mary before halftime.

https://twitter.com/awfulannouncing/status/1735495619127758991

Things got a little better in the second half for the Chargers in that they scored three touchdowns. But they also allowed two embarrassing ones. The first came when quarterback Easton Stick was sacked and fumbled. John Jenkins, Vegas’ 327-pound defensive tackle, scooped up the loose ball and returned it for a touchdown.

While Michaels earned some criticism for his lack of emotion, two things must be noted. One, it wasn’t at all clear that it was actually a fumble until a replay from the opposite angle was shown. Two, even if it was, the touchdown made the score 56-7. It’s hard to get too excited.

The Raiders scored their final points of the game on the following defensive series. Stick attempted a quick pass to Austin Ekeler. Cornerback Jack Jones intercepted the pass and went into the end zone untouched.

Jones read the play so well that he nearly overran Stick’s pass.

That prompted Michaels to say, “I mean, there are bad dreams, and there are crazy bad dreams. And for the Chargers, it’s been that kind of a night.”

It was indeed that kind of night for the Chargers. And while Michaels and Herbstreit have earned some criticism for their performance in the booth this season, the brutal honesty was refreshing during Thursday night’s calamity.

[Photo Credit: Amazon Prime Video]

About Michael Dixon

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