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By Alan Snel, LVSportsBiz.com Publisher/Writer
Mark Davis went 1-1 on Sunday.
After Davis’ Las Vegas Aces defeated a physical Connecticut Sun squad in Las Vegas, his Las Vegas Raiders lost their season-opener to the Los Angeles Chargers, 24-19, at SoFi Stadium in new coach Josh McDaniels’ regular season debut.
Davis could not be in two places at once, so the Aces/Raiders owner picked Los Angeles to witness the Raiders’ first game of the 2022 season.
The Raiders pulled off some hellacious comebacks wins last season when the Silver & Black cranked out a 10-7 record, good enough to qualify as the AFC’s top-seeded wildcard team.
But with the Raiders trailing by five points with less than four minutes left in the game in LA Sunday, quarterback Derek Carr could not mount the winning drive. He was sacked on the last two Raiders plays and Los Angeles converted a first down to seal the win.
“Our team fought,” McDaniels told the media after the loss. “We made some good plays. Just not enough of them.”
It was a mixed performance by Carr, starting his ninth season.
He completed 22 of 37 passes for 295 yards and two touchdowns. And he hooked up with his old Fresno State pal, Davante Adams, for 10 completions and 141 yards and a TD score.
But he showed rust by throwing three interceptions.
After the game, Carr said the issue was “me forcing the ball to my guys.”
The Raiders trailed, 17-3, at the half.
And they entered the fourth quarter down, 24-13.
Carr completed a pretty pass to tight end Darren Waller to set up a short TD toss to Adams to make the game a one-score contest late in the fourth quarter.
The Raiders, 0-1, play their home opener Sunday at Allegiant Stadium against the Arizona Cardinals.