Oakland Raiders: San Diego Game Is a Must-Win for Playoff Hopes

I don't think it takes a rocket scientist to know that the Oakland Raiders are in trouble.  It has been over three weeks since the Raiders last tasted victory, a narrow win over the Cleveland Browns, to improve their record to 4-2 and a tie for the division lead with the San Diego Chargers.

Three weeks later, the Chargers and Raiders are both in peril and the Kansas City Chiefs have rallied and found themselves to what is now a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West. The Tim Tebow-led Denver Broncos are also dangerously close, especially for a team that many consider an also-ran.

Three weeks ago, many of us Raiders fans, including me, made the mistake of assuming we would be riding high with a 6-2 record, after wins over the Chiefs and Broncos and by ourselves on top of the AFC West.  

But the harsh reality is that the Raiders are no longer dominating the division the way they did last year.

The harsh reality is that it feels like the Raiders have been spiraling out of control since the Jason Campbell injury, and the season is about to crash.  

Really, though, the Raiders are still in control of their future.

With the Raiders playing the Chargers Thursday night in San Diego, the division lead through the weekend will be on the line.  If the Chiefs lose this Sunday to the Broncos, the winner of the San Diego-Oakland showdown will alone atop the division after 10 weeks.

Now if the Raiders lose and fall one game behind the Chargers and/or Chiefs, some will say so what, there are seven games left to play.  They will also just wait until Darren McFadden gets back.

I, on the other hand, will look at a loss to San Diego and see a team that hasn't won in a month, is on a three-game skid, can't win in its division, and likely, has no discipline, whether it be stupid penalties or missed gaps in run defense.

A win would halt the negatives that have been building up with penalties, run defense and those who say the Carson Palmer trade was a bad move.  

Nothing solves problems in the NFL like winning, and that's what the Oakland Raiders need to do: Just win baby!