LDN - Sports

Week 5 GameScout: Chargers at Raiders

[October 08, 2016] The Sports Xchange

GAME SNAPSHOT

KICKOFF: Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Oakland Coliseum. TV -- CBS, Tom McCarthy, Adam Archuleta

SERIES HISTORY: 113th regular-season meeting between original AFL rivals. The Raiders lead this historic series, 60-50-2. The Raiders, like the rest of the AFC West, had their way with the Chargers last season, winning both games. That's a far cry than when the Chargers won 13 straight, a span in the 2000s which included Raiders-killer Marty Schottenheimer coaching and LaDainian Tomlinson torturing his favorite foe. The Chargers still curse losing to the Raiders in the 1980 AFC title game, denying Dan Fouts and the rest of a dynamite team a shot at a Super Bowl. And then there was the Raiders' rule-changing Holy Roller victory, starring QB Ken Stabler's sleight-of-hand. And then, well on and on.

GAMEDATE: 10/9/16

KEYS TO THE GAME: Getting down to basics, the key to this game for San Diego will be to run the ball against a Raiders defense that is less than stout up the middle and not all that great at tackling overall. The Raiders improved after giving up more than 500 yards per game the first two weeks, but there was a lot to improve. The Chargers have an excellent running back in Melvin Gordon, although his fumble last week allowed New Orleans to get a 35-34 comeback win.

The Raiders would probably prefer to shorten the game, too, which means they should test their running game.

All that intended running aside, this game could easily feature a shootout between one of the best young gunslingers in the league and one of the best senior QBs playing this season. Oakland's Derek Carr is threatening old team passing records and San Diego's Philip Rivers, perhaps the most under-appreciated QB in the NFL, already broke most marks in his storied franchise. Since 2008, Rivers' 35,869 yards passing are second-most in NFL. He is shooting for third consecutive 300-yard passing game and has 97.9 rating in the last nine meetings with Oakland.

MATCHUPS TO WATCH:

--The Chargers' secondary, which is thin because of injuries, vs. the passing game featuring quarterback Derek Carr and outside threats Armani Cooper and Michael Crabtree.

Cornerback Brandon Flowers has been out because of a concussion and it's difficult counting on him for four quarters if fit on Sunday. Jason Verrett (knee) might be out for the season, leaving a secondary which missed safety Eric Weddle to start the season, is having difficulty getting experience on the field. Previously Jahleel Addae was lost because of a broken clavicle. So asking the likes of Craig Mager and Pierre Desir to keep up might be much. Secondary needs help from a pass rush to slow receivers.

--Running back Melvin Gordon of the Chargers vs. a Raiders run defense ranked last in the AFC.

Gordon's fumble on Sunday fueled the New Orleans Saints' unlikely comeback. The Chargers must turn the page and keep giving the ball to Gordon, who has rushed for six touchdowns this season, with regularity against a unit which has shown holes on the ground. The key is can the Chargers run-block behind a line which is repeatedly shuffling players? But hogging the ball on the ground can keep Philip Rivers from what the Raiders defense does best -- pester quarterbacks. Gordon's stay in doghouse must be brief because the Chargers need to run the ball on Sunday.

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INJURY REPORT: CHARGERS -- Out: S Jahleel Addae (collarbone), LB Nick Dzubnar (knee), CB Brandon Flowers (concussion). Questionable: T Joe Barksdale (foot), T King Dunlap (illness), TE Antonio Gates (hamstring), CB Craig Mager (shoulder), LB Denzel Perryman (shoulder). RAIDERS -- Out: S Nate Allen (quadricep), RB Latavius Murray (toe), T Menelik Watson (calf). Questionable: T Austin Howard (ankle), RB Taiwan Jones (knee), T Matt McCants (knee), LB Malcolm Smith (quadriceps), TE Clive Walford (knee)

PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Raiders P Marquette King -- QB Derek Carr, among others, gives King much of the credit for the Raiders' 3-1 start this season. In the tradition of Oakland Hall of Fame punter Ray Guy, King is tied for third in the NFL through four games with an average exactly 50 yards per punt, with a net of 41.5. His longest punt covered 72 yards and only three of his kicks have gone for touchbacks. Not only that, he has pinned opponents inside the 20-yard-line on 11 occasions. King must push quarterback Philip Rivers and the Chargers offensive deep in their own territory to help out a defense that has struggled, but played better in a victory over Joe Flacco and the Ravens last week in Baltimore.

"He's been huge," Carr said. "We've been in some backed-up situations where we get pinned back, and he'll completely flip the field with a punt, put it out of bounds at the 10."

FAST FACTS: The Chargers have blown three fourth-quarter leads this season, running their total to an NFL-high eight since 2015. ... San Diego has not won in its past 11 games against AFC West teams. ... In four games, Raiders QB Derek Carr has passed for 1,066 yards, nine touchdowns and only one interception, projecting to 4,264 yards, 36 touchdowns and four interceptions over a full season. He has been sacked only twice. ... The Raiders are 3-1 for the first time since 2002, when they went all the way to Super Bowl XXXVII before losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. ... The Raiders have driven 90-plus yards for touchdowns in four games this season, equaling their total from last season.

PREDICTION: Coach Jack Del Rio has the Raiders playing better than they have in years. Oakland has been able to overcome several injuries along the offensive line by plugging in the next man up, while the Chargers have been hit by multiple injuries across the board. However, QB Philip Rivers has played some of the best games in his career against the Raiders, so Oakland is wary of the wounded Chargers.

OUR PICK: Raiders, 31-20

--Tom LaMarre

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