Chargers win 22:12 against Raiders, but in the fourth quarter a scandal escalates: Palmer and Jones are sent off after an argument.
A heated game between the Los Angeles Chargers and the Las Vegas Raiders resulted in a major scandal. In the fourth quarter of the Chargers’ 22-12 victory, receiver Joshua Palmer and cornerback Jack Jones were sent off after an altercation.
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The situation escalated after the Raiders stopped running back Gus Edwards on a two-point conversion. Palmer rushed to help teammate Ladd McConkey block safety Marcus Epps. Palmer and Jones then clashed outside the end zone. Several players tried to separate the two, but this led to further scuffles.
Statements from those involved
Jack Jones was not available for comment after the game. Joshua Palmer, on the other hand, expressed surprise at his disqualification: “I took a lot of hits, including from Jones, but I didn’t throw a punch.” Palmer stressed that there was no animosity between him and the Raiders: “It’s nothing personal. We just do our job as hard as we can.”
Chargers receiver Quentin Johnston was one of the first to try to break up the fight, but Raiders linebacker Maxx Crosby pulled Johnston to the ground by his collar, sparking another brawl. Eventually, the coaches intervened to calm the situation.
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Coach comments on the incident
Raiders coach Antonio Pierce sharply criticized his players’ lack of discipline: “It’s simply not acceptable. They beat us, we should leave it at that.” His counterpart Jim Harbaugh, however, made it clear that the incident was not discussed further after the game.
Overall, the incident remains an unpleasant sideshow of an otherwise exciting game that the Chargers were able to win.
