OAKLAND -- Memo to the Raiders: A football game consists of four quarters, not three.
For the second confounding game in a row, Oakland dominated the first 45 minutes, only to watch helplessly as their opponent sped off with the win.
A week ago, it was the Buffalo Bills who were victorious with a last-second field goal.
Sunday, the San Diego Chargers dropped 25 fourth-quarter points on the exasperated Raiders en route to a 28-18 victory before an announced crowd of 61,808 at the Oakland Coliseum.
It was the Raiders' 10th consecutive loss to the Chargers.
Throw in the circus that is the Lane Kiffin Coaching Death Watch, with owner Al Davis gripping the Grim Reaper's scythe as the Raiders enter their bye week, and it's as surreal a scene as ever witnessed in Silver and Blackdom.
"We're a 1-3 football team that could easily be 3-1," said Raiders middle linebacker Kirk Morrison. "It's frustrating because we're a lot better football team. Games are decided in the fourth quarter. We know that."
It's just that they can't seem to do anything about it.
The Raiders enjoyed a 15-0 halftime lead that should have been even bigger.
On its opening drive, Oakland moved to the San Diego 4-yard line but settled for Sebastian Janikowski's 22-yard field goal.
Gibril Wilson gave the Raiders a 5-0 lead when he covered Philip Rivers in the end zone for a safety after the Chargers' quarterback fell on a fumble by running back LaDainian Tomlinson. The ball squirted free when Wilson, on a run blitz, hit Tomlinson on the handoff.
Early in the second quarter, Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell hit tight end Zach Miller over the middle for a 63-yard touchdown. Michael Bush then appeared to score from the 1 on fourth and goal with 5:35 remaining in the first half.
But right tackle Cornell Green was called for holding on the play, and the Raiders settled for Janikowski's 28-yard field goal.
"We left a lot of points out there," said Kiffin, whose overall coaching record dropped to 5-15.
San Diego (2-2) gave a glimpse of things to come by marching downfield to start the third quarter, going from its 15 to the Raiders' 10 to set up Nate Kaeding's 28-yard field goal.
After the Raiders went three-and-out, Rivers was intercepted by DeAngelo Hall, and Oakland took over at the San Diego 38.
Two plays later at the 27, Chargers linebacker Tim Dobbins intercepted Russell's screen pass intended for rookie running back Darren McFadden, who tipped the ball in the air after it was thrown behind him.
"That was a big momentum switch," Kiffin said. "We were going down to possibly put them away."
Instead …
"They gave us good field position," said Chargers coach Norv Turner. "We didn't have good field position before, and field position definitely gives you life."
Two plays into the fourth quarter, Rivers hit Antonio Gates from nine yards out to get the Chargers within 15-10.
On the Raiders' ensuing possession, Russell was sacked on third down and fumbled. Marques Harris, who separated the quarterback from the ball, recovered it at the Oakland 13.
One play later, Tomlinson, who had been held to 31 yards on 13 carries, darted in for the touchdown, and after Darren Sproles converted the two-point conversion on a pass reception, the Chargers suddenly led 18-15 with 12:47 left.
To their credit, the Raiders did not lie down. After Kaeding missed a 47-yard attempt, Oakland tied the score on Janikowski's 32-yard field goal with 2:52 to play.
The air went out, however, when Sproles returned the ensuing kickoff 67 yards to the Oakland 35.
Kaeding's 47-yarder with 1:51 to go all but sealed things, and the outcome was decided when the Raiders turned the ball over on downs and Tomlinson busted loose for a 41-yard scoring run.
"I know it seems weird," Kiffin said. "We lost the game, but I was really pleased with how our players responded and how hard they played."
Want more weird irony? As Tomlinson scampered into the end zone, he passed a homemade sign in the stands advertising a budding Web site: www.keepkiffin.com.
Call The Bee's Paul Gutierrez, (916) 326-5556.
