Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers: Breaking Down San Diego's Game Plan

The San Diego Chargers (5-4) must focus on controlling their Week 11 matchup with the Oakland Raiders (0-9) by utilizing the now-healthy Ryan Mathews and limiting their mistakes on defense. This is a game the Chargers cannot afford to lose in a competitive AFC playoff race.

San Diego has the opportunity to snap its three-game losing streak with several key starters like Mathews, Melvin Ingram and Manti Te’o potentially returning. The additional rest the bye week provided should help Philip Rivers and Co. get back to the level they were playing at earlier in the season.

It also helps to play a team on a nine-game losing streak.

The Raiders have not won a single game this season, although they have come close versus the Patriots and Seahawks. They even gave the Chargers a run for their money in Week 6, a 31-28 thriller San Diego won on a last-minute Jason Verrett interception.

Still, the lack of talent is evident, and promising rookies Derek Carr and Khalil Mack can only do so much. Oakland is certainly the underdog in this game.

If the Chargers follow the two keys to the game listed below and don’t fall asleep at the wheel, 6-3 is an easily attainable goal.

Offensive Key to the Game: Smartly rotate Ryan Mathews and Branden Oliver

Mathews, the Chargers’ leading rusher last season, has fully recovered from the MCL sprain that kept him out for seven games, according to ESPN.com’s Eric D. Williams.

Mathews is unlikely to receive all of the carries Sunday, and he shouldn’t—extended absences often mean extended time is needed to get back in game shape. A 50-50 split with rookie Branden Oliver is the most probable route the Chargers will take. Getting them and the Chargers’ ineffective ground game on track will be of utmost importance versus the Raiders.

San Diego’s running game hasn’t been pretty to watch this season—the team has just three rushing touchdowns all year, and they rank dead last in adjusted line yards, according to Football Outsiders. Center Rich Ohrnberger said the offensive line needs to give the running backs more space to work with.

Although the Chargers’ offense lives and dies by the right arm of Rivers, establishing the running game will help keep the ball out of Carr’s hands. Carr’s rookie year has been bumpy, but he was certainly on point in his first game against San Diego, earning a career-best 107.7 quarterback rating. If the Chargers can limit his opportunities by soaking up the clock Sunday, they should be in good shape.

To do that, they will need to best Oakland’s run defense, which is a solid 14th in Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric. The stellar edge-setting of Mack and Justin Tuck has certainly played a part in that ranking, and the Chargers will have trouble running directly at them due to their weak offensive line.

Where they can create holes is in the middle of Oakland’s defense, with lineman Antonio Smith and linebacker Miles Burris graded by Pro Football Focus (subscription required) as the Raiders’ two worst run defenders.

Mathews and Oliver can exploit those holes in different ways, even if the offensive line provides little help. Let’s look at a good example of a San Diego back making something out of nothing.

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

Can the Chargers have similar success this Sunday? It’s possible—they just need to disguise their run plays well, like they did in the example above. Oliver gives San Diego the best chance to do that, as he offers more possibilities in the passing game. However, Mathews is the better between-the-tackles back. The Chargers need to use a mix of both players if they want to keep Carr off the field.

Defensive Key to the Game: Keep it simple, focus on the pass

The first game against the Raiders could have been over much sooner if Jarrett Johnson or Donald Butler didn’t drop the interceptions Carr gift-wrapped them. It also would have helped if Brandon Flowers wasn’t blocked by his own teammate on the Raiders’ first touchdown, which made him lose coverage.

Mistakes like this forced the Chargers to sweat out a win they should have easily grabbed with talent alone. The key to the game this time around is simple—don’t make avoidable mistakes and don’t worry about the Raiders’ rushing “attack.”

The Raiders have all but abandoned their running game this year, especially on third down. The Broncos took full advantage of that in the play shown below.

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

NFL Game Rewind

Defensive coordinator John Pagano should be fully aware of Oakland’s one-sided offense and take advantage—let the front seven pin their ears back and shoot through gaps instead of occupy them.