Chargers vs. Raiders: 3 Reasons Why San Diego Must Win Thursday Night's Game

The San Diego Chargers are on a three-game slide, and a loss to the Oakland Raiders could force the team into a deep depression that would be difficult to come out of.

The value of a win in tonight's game cannot be understated for the struggling Chargers. The Chargers had opportunities to win each of their last three games, but came out of each of them with a loss.

The Chargers have long been labeled as a "soft team," and their recent performance has only solidified their reputation as a team who shrivels in crunch time. 

A win against a tough Raiders team would be a big step in the right direction for the Chargers.

However, if the Chargers cannot come out of tonight with a win, their playoff hopes could be in jeopardy. 

Here are the three primary reasons why tonight's game against the Raiders is a must-win. 

The Chargers' Remaining Schedule Is Difficult

The Chargers will only play two teams with losing records—the Denver Broncos and Jacksonville Jaguars—before the season ends.

After playing the Raiders tonight, the Chargers will have to fly to Chicago and play the Bears at frigid Soldier Field. The Chargers always struggle in meaningful cold-weather games, and the Chargers' season will likely be on the line in Chicago if they cannot defeat the Raiders.

Following the Bears game, the Chargers will get to play the Broncos and Jaguars in consecutive games. 

In a three-week stretch from Week 14 to Week 16, the Chargers will have to play against the Buffalo Bills, Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions.

The Bills and Lions are legitimate playoff contenders and the Ravens are always perennial Super Bowl contenders.

In the Chargers' last game of the season, they will square off against the Raiders in Oakland. The Black Hole is always a difficult place to play, and if the Raiders end up playing for the AFC West championship in Week 17, the Chargers will have to deal with an extremely fired-up team.

Needless to say, the Chargers' remaining schedule is a buzz saw. This is the primary reason as to why the Chargers must defeat the Raiders tonight.

Philip Rivers Needs to Gain Confidence

Philip Rivers leads the NFL in interceptions with 14, and people are wondering what happened to the accurate Rivers of past years.

Rivers needs to come out of tonight's game with a victory, preferably coupled with a fantastic stat line.

If the Chargers do not win tonight, Rivers will bear the brunt of the criticism. A loss would give the Chargers a 4-5 record and keep Rivers' poor play the main topic of discussion on San Diego radio stations.

A win would not lift all of the weight off of Rivers' shoulders, but it would temporarily alleviate the constant criticism being fired at Rivers from Chargers fans and talking heads.

Furthermore, a win would give Rivers some much-needed confidence heading into a difficult game against the Chicago Bears.

The Chargers Need to Separate from the Pack in the AFC West

The Chargers have been extremely lucky that no team in the AFC West has been able to step up and dominate the division. 

However, the Chargers must begin to make their move before their schedule gets extremely difficult. A loss against the Raiders would mean that the Raiders would be sitting atop the AFC West standings.

Additionally, a win by the Raiders combined with a Chiefs victory this weekend would push the Chargers into third place.

Being stuck in third place behind the Raiders and Chiefs would be a terrible position for the Chargers to be in. 

The Raiders and Chiefs have difficult schedules to end the season, but the Chargers cannot rely on other teams to falter in order for them to reach the playoffs. 

Even the Denver Broncos are still in the hunt in the AFC West, sitting just one game behind the other teams. Although their franchise has been in disarray, they cannot be counted out of the race just yet.

If the Chargers want to make the playoffs, they must take control of their destiny and defeat the Raiders tonight to remain at the top of the AFC West totem pole. Otherwise, their divisional rivals could begin to pull away and the Chargers could be left sitting out in the cold come playoff time, just like last year.