There are painful losses, and then there are painful Chargers losses.
Chalk up another in the latter category.
The Chargers lined up for a tying field goal with a little over two minutes left Sunday, but rookie punter Drew Kaser dropped the snap and they never got to try the kick, which would have been a 36-yarder.
The Raiders ran out most of the remaining time and won, 34-31, after trailing 24-16 in the third quarter.
The Raiders scored 18 unanswered as quarterback Derek Carr got hot, and the Chargers rallied but ended up failing on third and one from the Raiders 18 and then ultimately on the untried field goal on the next play.
Coming in, the Chargers had lost three games by a combined 11 points. They had led in the fourth quarter in all of them. So, this one is especially painful.
Michael Crabtree made an acrobatic touchdown catch to give the Raiders the lead late in the third, and Amari Cooper caught a two-point conversion pass from Carr to make it 27-24. The Chargers punted, then after a pass interference call in the end zone, fullback Jamize Olawale ran it in from a yard out for a 10-point lead.
Philip Rivers led the Chargers on a 12-play drive capped by a touchdown pass to Antonio Gates to come within three, then after a defensive stop Rivers got the Chargers inside the 20. But Melvin Gordon was stopped on third and short, and then Kaser -- who appeared to be hurt after a 16-yard punt earlier in the fourth -- dropped the snap.
Rivers threw for 359 yards and four touchdowns but the Chargers fell to 1-4. They’re on a short week next week and host the Broncos Thursday night.
Carr threw for 317 yards and two touchdowns. Cooper had six catches for 138 yards and a touchdown. The Raiders improve to 4-1 -- three wins have been decided by three points or fewer -- and host the Chiefs next week.