Game-day details
Sun., 4:15 p.m. ET, Network Associates
Weather forecast from AccuWeather.com:
Sunny. High: 76. Low: 52.
Why To Watch
The Raiders come off a bye that follows their first victory of the season, while the Chargers come off a short week after losing to Pittsburgh on Monday night.
Oakland has offensive firepower in wide receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter, and running back LaMont Jordan was able to get on track against Dallas before the bye. Quarterback Kerry Collins has worked hard to eliminate his mistakes and hasn’t thrown an interception yet this season. But the Raiders still fumble the ball too often and still are the league's most penalized team.
San Diego bounced back from a surprising 0-2 start by just feeding the ball to LaDainian Tomlinson as much as possible. His resurgence has created more opportunities for Drew Brees, tight end Antonio Gates and wide receiver Keenan McCardell, and their own run defense is ranked sixth in the NFL.
The Chargers swept the season series a year ago on their way to the division title and a spot in the playoffs, so expect the Raiders to be out for revenge.
Chargers Keys For Success
1. Continue to ride Tomlinson. Tomlinson dominated the Raiders last season with 235 yards rushing on 44 carries. He will be the focus of Oakland's defense, but offensive coordinator Cam Cameron must continue to feed his superstar, whether it's on runs or passes. The Raiders have not matched up well vs. Tomlinson because of their lack of discipline in tackling and pursuit lanes. And this season, they lack the speed at linebacker to get to Tomlinson before he turns the corner.
2. Collapse the pocket on Collins. Collins is not mobile and has had problems holding on to the ball in his career. But the veteran QB can throw the deep ball and is efficient when he has time to throw. The Chargers' defense must get pressure on Collins to get him out of his rhythm and force him to make quick decisions with the ball.
3. Use the play-action pass. The Raiders' defense is improved this year but can still be undisciplined. They also will be keying on Tomlinson, who has burned them consistently in the past, giving Brees every opportunity to exploit play-action to his wide receivers, who will consistently see single coverage.
Raiders Keys For Success
1. Make Jordan the focus of their offense. Jordan thrived with his strong inside running in the Raiders' Week 4 victory over the Cowboys. Coach Norv Turner envisions that type of rushing attack setting up the rest of his offensive playbook, setting up play-action and buying Collins extra time to look downfield for deep strikes. Jordan will power between the tackles, but he must have blocking up front to account for nose tackle Jamal Williams.
2. Create big plays in the passing game. Moss should be salivating this week after watching the film of the Chargers' secondary, the weakest link in their defense. Oakland will look to spread the ball around early, especially underneath to Jordan, the team’s leading receiver, and tight end Courtney Anderson while waiting for Porter to draw single coverage where he can make a play downfield. Moss, meanwhile, can beat any double team in the league.
3. Put pressure on Brees. After racking up only two sacks in the team's first three games, the Raiders' pass rush stepped it up vs. the Cowboys, putting constant pressure on Drew Bledsoe and sacking him four times. The Raiders must continue bringing the pressure vs. Brees, who will make them pay all day if he has time to throw.
Injuries at a glance
Chargers injuries
No injuries reported
Raiders injuries
10/9/05 Ronald Curry WR Achilles Done for the season
10/3/05 Jake Grove C Knee Out 3-4 weeks
The Bottom Line
Both teams have firepower, but San Diego has the better defense and the best player on the field in Tomlinson. The Raiders lack the defensive speed to contain the Chargers’ explosive offensive talent, and their propensity for committing costly penalties and turnovers will seal their fate in this shootout.
Pick: Chargers 31, Raiders 24
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