Oakland Raiders vs. San Diego Chargers: Full Oakland Game Preview
The Oakland Raiders had two weeks of preparation for their Week 7 matchup with the San Diego Chargers, but that doesn’t make conquering their challengers an easier task.
The Chargers' 2-4 record isn’t indicative of Philip Rivers’ play. He’s on pace to surpass records set by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. In a bit of a mismatch, Oakland’s suspect pass defense will match up against the Chargers' high-powered passing attack.
On the flip side, Oakland has the personnel to attack the weaknesses in the Chargers lineup.
One particular cornerback within San Diego’s secondary has surrendered five touchdowns, albeit three in one game, but he’s a primary target for quarterback Derek Carr. The Chargers also field an unbalanced offense, ranking 29th in rushing yards.
The Raiders welcome back a key addition to special teams and hope to regain traction on the ground with a healthier Latavius Murray in the backfield.
What’s the buzz between these two division rivals? What should we look out for in this matchup? Will the Raiders snap a three-game skid at Qualcomm Stadium?
Location: Qualcomm Stadium; San Diego
Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
Time: 1:05 p.m. PT / 4:05 p.m. ET
TV: CBS
Week 6 Results and Recap
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| AFC West Standings | ||
| Team | Wins | Losses |
| Denver Broncos | 6 | 0 |
| Oakland Raiders | 2 | 3 |
| San Diego Chargers | 2 | 4 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 1 | 5 |
The undefeated Broncos continue to expand their lead in the AFC West with a four-game lead over the second-place Raiders in the win column.
The Raiders must snap this two-game losing streak to make up ground on the division leader, who beat them in their last outing.
Fortunately for the Raiders, both the Kansas City Chiefs and Chargers lost in Week 6. The winner of this Week 7 matchup takes sole possession of second place in the division.
News and Notes
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Rivers on a Roll
In the offseason, Rivers signed a four-year deal worth almost $84 million, and the Chargers are squeezing every penny out of the 33-year-old signal-caller. San Diego’s sluggish ground attack has placed more pressure on Rivers to deliver from the pocket, and it’s bringing out the best in his game.
He’s on pace to break Brees’ completion record of 468 in 2011 and Manning’s passing yards record of 5,477 yards in 2013, per ProFootballTalk’s Michael David Smith.
Rivers probably salivated a little when he realized he’s up against a pass defense that is giving up nearly 300 yards per game. Safety Charles Woodson comes up with heroic interceptions at least once or twice per game, but Rivers throws the ball an average of 42 times from the pocket and is completing 70 percent of his passes.
Michael Crabtree Going Vertical?
According to the Raiders' official website, offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave may explore some deep-ball action between Carr and wide receiver Michael Crabtree.
"We hit him on a couple vertical routes in the last game, which were things that we hadn’t done yet, so there was some growth there. We just want to keep building his role in the offense,” said Musgrave.
Among the Raiders wideouts, Crabtree has the most targets (10) on passes of 20 yards or more down the field, per Pro Football Focus. Sunday’s game plan could feature the veteran receiver stretching the Chargers' stingy pass defense.
Raiders Sign Return Specialist Walt Powell
The decision to sign Walt Powell as a return specialist may end special teams duties for defensive back T.J. Carrie and wide receiver Amari Cooper. The acquisition was way overdue and took an injury to Carrie before the Raiders understood the risk in using starters as special teams players.
Powell exhibits a dual skill set in fielding kickoffs and punts, which gives him plenty of opportunities to provide a spark on special teams. When speaking with local reporters, he seemed confident in his ability to help the team in field positioning.
“Whenever I get the ball in my hands, I try to make a play. Hopefully, I get those opportunities and make the best of them,” said Powell.
In 2014, Powell returned eight kickoffs for 233 yards and 12 punts for 48 yards with the New York Jets.
Latest Injury News
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| Oakland Raiders Injury Report | |||
| Player | Position | Injury | Practice |
| Denico Autry | DT | Concussion | FP |
| Latavius Murray | RB | Shoulder | FP |
| Taiwan Jones | RB | Foot | FP |
| Justin Ellis | DT | Ankle | DNP |
| Charles Woodson | S | Shoulder/Knee | DNP |
*DNP = Did not practice *LP = Limited participation in practice *FP = Full participation in practice Oakland Raiders injury report courtesy of Raiders.com | |||
A week off served as an elixir for most of the ailments plaguing the Raiders. Only two players sat out of Wednesday’s practice.
Defensive tackle Justin Ellis continues to nurse an ankle injury. As usual, Woodson missed practice, but he'll likely continue to play through his shoulder injury, which is compounded by a minor tweak to his knee.
Taiwan Jones rejoins the team as a full participant at practice and should resume his duties as a kick returner alongside his new teammate Powell.
Defensive lineman Denico Autry participated in a full practice after missing the last outing due to concussion protocol.
Health concerns shouldn’t arise pertaining to Latavius Murray’s fourth-quarter carries, barring a setback. He fully participated in practice and should take the field at full speed against the Chargers.
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Key Matchups
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Raiders Pass Rush vs. San Diego Chargers Offensive Line
Surprisingly, Rivers has been efficient behind an unstable and unproductive offensive line. The Chargers’ pass protection resembles a shower curtain, allowing 20 sacks in the first six weeks. Pocket pressure serves as the best approach to slowing down San Diego’s passing attack.
Every week, Raider Nation waits for a breakout performance from edge-rushers Khalil Mack and Aldon Smith.
On Sunday, the Raiders could throw a sack party for Rivers, pending their success in breaking down San Diego's flawed pass protection.
Raiders Wide Receivers vs. Brandon Flowers
Musgrave spoke about attacking vertically with Crabtree, and that bodes well for the Raiders with cornerback Brandon Flowers in coverage.
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton torched Flowers in Week 2 for three touchdowns, and the Chargers cornerback also surrendered a touchdown in each of the last two weeks. Much of the cornerback position hinges upon confidence, especially after getting burned, and Carr should target Flowers early to keep him on edge.
Amari Cooper’s elusiveness creates an advantageous matchup against the struggling cornerback in a different aspect. Thus far, Flowers has missed five tackles, and Cooper has broken 10. A deep throw to Cooper could result in an easy catch and run for a big gain or touchdown.
X-Factor
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X-Factor: Neiron Ball
We’ll find out if Neiron Ball truly solves the Raiders’ coverage issues in the middle of the field. The Chargers have more than just tight end Antonio Gates when attacking opposing defenses with short passes.
The Chargers running backs have combined for 45 receptions and 476 receiving yards out of the backfield. The tight ends have accumulated 45 catches for 482 yards and six touchdowns. Needless to say, Rivers will frequently work the Raiders linebackers and safeties in coverage.
Most of the coverage attention goes to Gates, but San Diego has plenty of weapons capable of gashing defenses between the hashes and in the red zone. As a linebacker in nickel packages, Ball will find himself covering a variety of targets from quick-twitch running backs to larger tight ends.
Game Prediction: Chargers 27, Raiders 23
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Typically, the Chargers and the Raiders play down to the wire. The last two contests were decided by seven points or less.
So, why not a victory for a more talented roster under head coach Jack Del Rio?
The Chargers’ primary strength plays into the Raiders weaknesses on defense. Rivers’ accurate passing and the plethora of offensive weapons pose a huge threat to Oakland’s secondary and midfield coverage.
The Raiders have allowed Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco and Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler to rack up yards with minimal offensive weapons. Rivers ranks as one of the best and most underrated signal-callers in the league.
Unfortunately for Oakland, he’s equipped with offensive threats all over the field. If Rivers has time to throw, he can go deep. If his offensive line crumbles, he can dump the ball off to one of two running backs.
The Raiders have succeeded in smothering the rushing attack, but the Chargers don’t run the ball efficiently anyway. San Diego’s short passing attack compensates for the lack of a ground attack.
Oakland will keep this game close by establishing its rushing offense against San Diego’s 29th-ranked rush defense.
However, when it comes to scoring touchdowns, teams successful in the passing attack move the ball at a more efficient pace than those with a prominent running attack. The Raiders’ 27th-ranked rushing offense doesn’t rank much higher than the Chargers' 29th-ranked rushing offense.
San Diego's seventh-ranked pass defense stands a better chance at stifling Oakland's offense and capitalizing with a hyperactive passing attack.
Prediction: Chargers 27, Raiders 23
Follow Maurice Moton on Twitter for news, updates and intriguing discussion about the Oakland Raiders.
All statistics are provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com, Pro Football Focus and Team Rankings unless otherwise noted.
Player contracts provided by Spotrac.com.
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