OAKLAND, California (Ticker) -- It was a bad moon Rison for Ryan Leaf and the San Diego Chargers.
Less than two weeks after signing with the Oakland Raiders, Andre Rison caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Rich Gannon with 2:37 left to lift his new team to a 9-6 victory over the Chargers.
"It feels good to be a Raider," said Rison, who finished with five catches for 49 yards. "It's something I always wanted to do since I was a child."
The Raiders (1-0) signed the veteran receiver on August 21, one week after he was released by AFC West rival Kansas City. The move immediately paid off today when Rison badly faked Darryll Lewis on a corner route to the right side of the end zone for the winning touchdown. Lewis, a 10-year veteran, bit on a slant move to the inside, and could only watch as Rison darted to the outside.
"First of all, I wasn't supposed to be in the huddle and when I got there, Tim Brown told me what my route was and I pulled an old-fashioned move on the defender and it worked," Rison said.
"I have no idea how it worked out," Gannon said. "He wasn't supposed to be in the play. He ran a great route and they got confused and he put a good move on the guy."
A five-time Pro Bowler, Rison, 33, had 702 catches for 9,599 yards and 78 touchdowns in his first 11 NFL seasons. But problems off the field have accounted for why he is with his seventh team.
It was a tough loss for the Chargers' defense, which had to overcome three interceptions by Leaf and a safety. After he surprisingly won the starting job in training camp, Leaf faltered today, completing 17-of-39 passes for 181 yards with four turnovers.
After Rison's touchdown, Leaf was intercepted by linebacker William Thomas in the final minute to seal the win for Oakland.
"His (Leaf) play was erratic but he made some good plays and kept on trying," Chargers coach Mike Riley said. "His starting position is not in question for next week."
The second overall pick in the 1998 draft, Leaf had just two touchdowns and 15 interceptions before he was benched midway through his rookie season. He missed all of last year with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.
Robert Chancey, who was tackled in the end zone by Raiders defensive tackle Darrell Russell for a safety in the third quarter, scored on a three-yard run with 9:41 left in the fourth quarter for the Chargers (0-1).
"This was a team loss," Chancey said. "We have got to get back up and get ready for next week."
Neither team was able to establish an effective ground game, placing more pressure on the quarterbacks.
Chancey rushed for 74 yards on 23 carries.
Oakland's Tyrone Wheatley had 47 yards on 13 carries, but Napolean Kaufman carried just four times for zero yards.
"Despite what you all might think, we did have a game plan today, but we hurt ourselves," Gannon said. "We did not run the ball well today and I missed some throws."
Leaf left the game briefly in the first half when he suffered a chin laceration after he was knocked to the ground by defensive end Regan Upshaw. Moses Moreno stepped in and was 2-of-3 for 17 yards.
"That was a heck of a game. I'm very proud of our team," Raiders coach Jon Gruden said. "Any time you play San Diego, you're in for a very physical and down-to-the-wire game."
Gannon completed 20-of-35 passes for 176 yards, but hurt the Chargers with his legs on the game-winning drive, breaking off a 17-yard run to the San Diego 36. He also hit Rison with a nine-yard pass and connected with running back Tyrone Wheatley on a 12-yard pass on the drive.
A scoreless first half featured a number of hard hits by Chargers six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Junior Seau and interceptions by Oakland cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Marquez Pope.
"It was real easy to read him (Leaf)," Woodson said. "He's pretty much a lock-down kind of guy, meaning he locks his eyes on the guy he's going to throw to."
The Raiders had the only scoring threat of the half, but rookie Sebastian Janikowski, their first-round pick, missed a 41-yard field goal attempt.
Fittingly, the first points of the game came on the safety. Leaf handed the ball off to Chancey four yards deep in his own end zone and he was unable to escape as the Raiders penetrated. Oakland defensive lineman Tony Bryant pushed Chargers lineman Raleigh Roundtree into Chancey and Russell took the running back down in the end zone with 7:23 left in the third quarter.
The Chargers had their best opportunity when Leaf hit Jeff Graham on a stop-and-go down the left sideline for a 30-yard gain to the Oakland 16. However, defensive end Lance Johnstone ran around tackle Ben Coleman and slapped the ball away from Leaf and safety Calvin Branch recovered it for the Raiders.
San Diego finally broke through with a 15-play, 80-yard drive in the fourth quarter which lasted more than 5 1/2 minutes. Leaf kept the drive alive with a 15-yard pass to tight end Freddie Jones on a 3rd-and-2 play. He also connected with running back Fred McCrary on a 10-yard pass on a 3rd-and-8 play to the Oakland 3 before Chancey's touchdown.
Leaf failed to complete a pass for the two-point conversion.
The Raiders had lost their previous four openers. The AFC West rivals meet again October 29 at San Diego.
