KMAX: Sports

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) The Oakland Raiders are far from a turnaround. After all, they needed 54 minutes just to get pointed in the right direction against San Diego.

Still, Rich Gannon and the defending AFC champions showed several late flashes of the dominant offensive team they might become again.

Sebastian Janikowski made a 46-yard field goal with 5:01 left in overtime as Gannon rallied the Raiders from a 14-point deficit late in regulation for a 34-31 victory Sunday over the winless Chargers.

After floundering against the Chargers' defense and failing to slow down LaDainian Tomlinson, the Raiders (2-2) came alive in the final six minutes of regulation for two scores and the first of four straight defensive stops.

By the time Janikowski split the uprights with the final kick, Oakland was firmly back in control of the game if not its season.

``I hope that this game serves as a catalyst and a launching pad to get us going again,'' Oakland coach Bill Callahan said. ``We came alive. We were wearing them down at the end. I thought our stamina was excellent down the stretch.''

So much for Callahan's professed desire for a solid running game: Gannon finished 26-of-43 for 348 yards and three touchdowns, and the Raiders' only run of significance was Charlie Garner's tying 24-yard scamper on a draw with 1:24 left.

The Raiders' veteran superstars all played big roles in picking on San Diego's young defense. Jerry Rice had seven receptions including key catches on all three final scoring drives for 118 yards, and Tim Brown had six catches for 110 yards and a score.

``I thought we had a good plan and did a good job executing,'' Gannon said. ``We've gone through some adversity. Hopefully this is a way to shake ourselves out of it. This is a veteran team that's always done a good job with adversity. I'm not saying we're out of the woods yet, but this is a good step.''

Gannon audibled a 36-yard TD pass to Alvis Whitted, pulling the Raiders within 31-24 with 4:38 left. Moments later, Gannon found Rice twice before Garner rolled through the San Diego defense for the tying score.

After San Diego's second overtime punt, Gannon hit Rice for a 29-yard gain while moving the Raiders from their 8 to the San Diego 28, where Janikowski won it.

Tomlinson rushed for 187 yards 55 on a beautiful scoring run and also threw a touchdown pass to Drew Brees, but the Chargers (0-4) wasted a golden opportunity for their first win in regulation since last Oct. 13. With a monumental defensive collapse, San Diego lost its eighth straight dating back to last season.

``When you get as many points as we had, when you get as many yards as we had, I'd like to think that we'd find a way to win,'' said San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer, whose team scored just 37 points in its first three games this season. ``We all devote so much time and effort to it, (so) you're disappointed when you don't finish the job.''

Brees was 21-of-31 for 187 yards, connecting with Tomlinson on seven passes. The Chargers, playing without suspended receiver David Boston, didn't get more than four catches by any other receiver.

San Diego capped its first scoring drive with a classic trick play: Tomlinson threw a high-arching pass to Brees, who ran under it and dove at the end zone cone for a 21-yard score.

Though Oakland's defense clamped down in the second half, San Diego appeared to seal a win when Lorenzo Neal rushed for a 3-yard score with 5:59 to play for a 31-17 lead.

``We thought we had it,'' Tomlinson said. ``I guess they showed why they went to the Super Bowl last year. They know how to win games, and we don't.''< ^Notes:@ The Raiders played without LB Bill Romanowski, who missed the first game of his 16-season NFL career with the effects of a series of concussions. Romanowski had played in 243 consecutive games. ... San Diego got to the Oakland 32 in the final seconds, but time ran out before Brees could spike the ball. ... All-Pro C Barret Robbins reclaimed his starting spot for Oakland after losing it in the wake of his Super Bowl drinking binge.