OAKLAND, Calif. - Nick Novak kicked a 32-yard field goal on the final play of the game and the Los Angeles Chargers took advantage of a key missed extra point by Giorgio Tavecchio to beat the Oakland Raiders 17-16 on Sunday.
The Chargers (2-4) had been done in by poor kicks this season, losing twice on misses by former kicker Younghoe Koo. Novak missed a 48-yard field goal in the first quarter, but it was a missed extra point by Tavecchio - after a high snap by Jon Condo early in the fourth quarter - that proved to be the difference in a fourth straight loss by the Raiders (2-4).
Philip Rivers took over at his 8 with 4:09 to play and used two long passes by Hunter Henry to move the Chargers into field-goal range. Five straight runs by Melvin Gordon and two kneeldowns moved the ball to the 14 and drained the clock, setting the stage for Novak's winning kick.
The Raiders had taken the lead on a 47-yard end-around by Cordarrelle Patterson but that and the return of quarterback Derek Carr weren't enough to end this slide. Oakland last lost four in a row during an 0-10 start in 2014.
Carr, who missed last week's game with a broken bone in his back, threw for just 171 yards with two interceptions and a touchdown.
Rivers went 25 for 36 for 268 yards with one touchdown. Gordon ran for 83 yards and scored twice.