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For the second-consecutive week, Chargers linebacker Shaun Phillips put the opposing quarterback on his back, and his partner in crime Shawne Merriman got a monkey off his back.

Phillips delivered his second-consecutive two-sack performance of the year and Merriman broke a nine-game sackless streak with two of his own in the Chargers’ win over the Raiders Sunday. 

“That’s what they brought us together for,” Phillips said.  “In years past, we’ve fed off of each other with the pass rush.  It was good for us both to get a couple today.”

In addition to Phillips and Merriman’s sacks, Steve Gregory delivered his second sack in as many weeks to give the Chargers five on the day.  They also had five last week in Kansas City after totaling just seven sacks in the team’s first five games. 

“We’re getting the pass rush back,” Head Coach Norv Turner said.  “It’s a big difference.”

Merriman, who missed 15 games last season with a major knee injury, was encouraged by his play in recent weeks and knew that it was just a matter of time before the sacks came. 

“It’s a step for me,” he said.  “For so many weeks I was getting closer and closer.  At some point I knew it had to come and I’m glad it came at the right time.”

In addition to his two sacks, Merriman had seven tackles Sunday, including two for loss.  His performance brought a huge smile to his head coach’s face. 

“Shawne Merriman is starting to look more like Shawne Merriman and continuing to grow,” Turner said.  “I don’t think people appreciate the process that you have to go through when you’re dealing with what he has.  He hasn’t blinked.  He keeps working at it.  You see him getting better.”

Merriman’s first sack of the season came on Oakland’s final drive of the first half.  The Raiders were on the Chargers’ 27, and the three-yard loss they took on Merriman’s hit on JaMarcus Russell forced Oakland to use their final timeout and limited their options.  Two plays later, they kicked a field goal. Phillips’ first also came with the Raiders on the cusp of the red zone and helped force a field goal.

Their second sacks came on back-to-back plays on Oakland’s final drive of the game.  The Raiders were trailing by just eight in the final minutes when Phillips dropped Russell for a 13-yard loss and Merriman got him for a three-yard setback.  The sacks put Oakland in a 3rd-and-31 situation and essentially ended the comeback threat. 

“When you see 56 and 95 in the backfield making plays,” linebacker Stephen Cooper said, “that’s what we expect them to do and we are glad to see them do it.”

Sunday’s game marked the first time since Oct. 14, 2007 that Phillips and Merriman each had two sacks in the same game.  The Chargers beat the Raiders that day as well.  Of Phillips’ 42.5 career sacks, 11.5 have come against the Raiders.  Sunday was Merriman’s 13th multi-sack game, and the Chargers are 12-1 when “Lights Out” gets to the quarterback more than once.

“We’re really coming together,” Phillips said. “We’re creating pressure and that results in sacks.  That’s a great thing for the team.”