Raiders’ defense turns it around 'one hundred percent’

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SAN DIEGO — One week after melting down against the Broncos, the Raiders’ defense hardened back up against the Chargers on Sunday, looking suspiciously like a real NFL defense.

Not only that, the defense ignored the opportunity to throw the offense under the bus, literally or figuratively, thus avoiding a messy civil war in the locker room.

“Progress?” linebacker Sio Moore said, echoing a question. “One hundred percent. It’s just not enough to where we can put a win in the column.”

Even though the inept offense kept the defense on the field way too long, the Raiders held San Diego to 300 yards and one touchdown, which came after the Chargers were handed the ball at the Raiders’ 22 on a first-play-of-the-game fumble.

The Raiders stopped the Chargers on 11 of 15 third-down conversion tries and held quarterback Philip Rivers in check, except for that one touchdown pass.

Another great sign: Rookie linebacker Khalil Mack got his first NFL sack, midway through the fourth quarter on a 3rd-and-6. Mack is picking up rave reviews, but the no-sack thing was becoming awkward. Now it’s gone.

Khalil Mack, the Raiders’ acclaimed top draft pick of 2014, stands over Philip Rivers, having racked up his first NFL sack after coming close several times. Khalil Mack, the Raiders’ acclaimed top draft pick of 2014, stands over Philip Rivers, having racked up his first NFL sack after coming close several times. Photo: Gregory Bull / Associated Press Photo: Gregory Bull / Associated Press Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Raiders’ defense turns it around 'one hundred percent’ 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

“He’s going to be a dominant player in this league,” defensive tackle Antonio Smith said. “I just told him (after the sack), 'Let’s eat!’ We came out here to eat today.”

Interim head coach Tony Sparano said his defense did a good job of pressuring Rivers up the middle, Smith and Mack especially.

“I think the big push came from the inside early,” Sparano said, “and that eventually brought (Rivers) to Khalil. Khalil drilled a hole out there in a big situation. ... You felt Khalil out there today.”

The Raiders’ defense, according to Moore, took a significant step in its collective development.

“We’re moving like one body out there,” Moore said, “one entire body, from the D-line to the linebackers to the DBs, man, and we just gotta continue doing that.”

Smith attributed the defense’s inspired play, in part, to a quote Sparano laid on the players during the week, although Smith declined to divulge the quote.

“I think that everybody on this team grabbed hold of something Coach Sparano said this week,” Smith said, adding, “And that’s the fight you saw out there today.”

Scott Ostler is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist.