Raiders vs. Chargers: Turnovers Will Doom Carson Palmer and Oakland in San Diego

Turnovers will certainly be the key to deciding Thursday night's matchup between bitter AFC West division rivals San Diego and Oakland.

The Chargers will host the Raiders, both 4-4 and among the top eight NFL teams in worst turnover margin, in a game that will decide the division lead and upper hand in the race to the playoffs.

The Raiders enter Week 10's first game having lost two straight behind the shaky arm of Carson Palmer, who they traded for at the deadline after losing starting quarterback Jason Campbell to a shoulder injury.

Palmer has thrown six interceptions in less than two full games under center and has effectively taken Oakland from a 4-2 record and positive turnover margin, to .500 at the midway point with a -5 turnover margin, eighth-worst in the NFL.

The Bolts come into the first Thursday night matchup of the season having dropped three consecutive games, including a road loss at Kansas City on Halloween night that they seemingly had won before a Philip Rivers' fumbled snap.

That miscue only added to the Chargers -8 turnover margin, which is second-worst in the league behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers (-11).

Rivers threw three interceptions last week against the Packers, two of which went for Green Bay touchdowns.

Mistakes like that have come to represent the two teams in recent weeks, and the squad which best avoids making the wrong end of the highlight reel Thursday night should and will come out on top.

San Diego's pass defense is fourth-best in the league, compared to Oakland's 20th-ranked aerial defense, and that's were the difference will be.

Palmer has shown a knack and obsession for turning the ball over in a short time with Oakland in 2011, and his opponent will add to that addiction this week. The Darren McFadden injury has also hampered the Silver and Black's offense this season.

The Raiders D has been gashed as of late, and that should only make life easier for the Bolts in front of their home crowd.

The Chargers have the edge in this game without question, but given both teams' general lack of care for the ball and maintaining possession, anyone could emerge victorious on Thursday night.