Oakland Raiders: 5 Players Who Stepped Up Versus Chargers

Oct 25, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tight end Clive Walford (88) catches a touchdown pass from quarterback Derek Carr (not pictured) during the second quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports

Clive Walford

Walford and the Raiders have been waiting for a breakout performance to signal Walford’s arrival in the NFL, and Sunday’s game against the Chargers might have been that signal. It wasn’t a huge game statistically for Walford, as he only recorded two catches the entire game, but it was the dimension he added to the Raiders offense that had to be making all Oakland fans do cartwheels after the match.

Walford gave a big glimpse of the seam threat that Oakland drafted him to be; both of his receptions were of the down the field variety, as he recorded 42 yards and a touchdown. He wasn’t brought in to just catch the 5-7 yard out for a 1st down; Walford is the type of  2nd level pass catching tight end that the Raiders have not had in years. While Sunday wasn’t a huge game for him, his TD was a sign that he is finally healthy and ready to contribute.

Next: Another Huge Game From The Rookie