Raiders Will Try And Sweep Season Series Against Chargers In Week 16
By Abraham Gutierrez
Following an emotional win on what could be the final game at Qualcomm Stadium, the San Diego Chargers travel to Northern California looking to keep the good times rolling, this time hoping to upset the rival Oakland Raiders in Week 16. The O.co Coliseum in the East Bay will be the site for this AFC West clash, scheduled for Thursday evening at 5:25 p.m. ET live on NFL Network.
This will be the second and final meeting of the season between these longtime intrastate rivals. For the Raiders, this is a golden opportunity to not only sweep the season series from the Bolts, but also avoid their third losing streak of the 2015 NFL season.
San Diego Chargers 2015 NFL Season
Needless to say, the Chargers season hasn't exactly gone as planned, as this team enters Week 16 sporting a 4-10 record. With two games ahead of what is sure to be an adventurous offseason, San Diego is 3-5 at home, 1-5 on the road and winless against intradivisional opponents with a 0-4 mark.
This year's Bolts are also 3-7 against intraconference foes, 1-3 against the National Football Conference and come in with a 2-3 record in their last five games played. The last time they faced the Raiders, the Chargers defense couldn't get anything going, allowing 130 rushing yards and another 282 through the air on their way to an eight-point loss.
Chargers On Offense
Offensively, San Diego is not the powerhouse it once was. However, that doesn't mean this team isn't dangerous, and in fact, Jack Del Rio and his staff must prepare for two specific areas that the Bolts are sure to test them in.
First, there's the fact that the Chargers are fourth in the league in passing yards per game. With Philip Rivers leading the charge, this team averages 294 passing yards per game, which is sure to keep the Raiders secondary honest.
Second, because of their "air of superiority," it's only natural that this team is also among the best in the NFL in total yards per game. Prior to Week 16, the Bolts average 378 yards per contest, which is good enough for sixth place in the National Football League.
Unfortunately, that's where the good news end for Chargers fans, as the remaining two areas have been a huge problem for this offense. San Diego's inability to run the football and put up points has been well documented, evidenced by the fact that they rank 25th in points per game (20) and penultimate in the NFL in rushing yards per contest (84).
Chargers On Defense
Defense has also been another troublesome area for the Chargers in 2015 under defensive coordinator John Pagano. In short, San Diego ranks below average in three of the four major statistical categories used to measure the quality of a defensive unit in the NFL.
With 14 games in the books, San Diego's defense ranks 19th in both points per game (24.9) and total yards per game (357.6), while allowing an average of 120.6 rushing yards per game, which is good enough for 24th place in the National Football League. The lone bright spot for this defense can be found in passing defense, where they rank 12th in the league yielding 237 aerial yards per contest.
Chargers Players To Watch
On offense, there have been two players to watch, and this week against the Raiders, that remains the case. The heart and soul of this offensive attack is without question one of the best quarterback/tight end duos in pro football history, as quarterback Philip Rivers (385/577, 4287 yards, 26 TD, 12 INT) and tight end Antonio Gates (51 catches, 585 yards, TDs) must be accounted for at all times.
On the defensive side of the rock, the Chargers players to watch are unquestionably the team leaders in sacks. With that said, Del Rio and his staff must find a way to contain Melvin Ingram (8 sacks, 56 tackles, 3 forced fumbles) and Jeremiah Attaochu (6.5 sacks, 50 tackles, forced fumble), while tackles leader, Eric Weddle (75 tackles) will also try and impose his will on the Raiders offense.
Chargers vs. Raiders Outlook
Given the way the first meeting of the season went, most people are expecting the Oakland Raiders to take care of business once again, this time in front of the home crowd. Last time, they defeated the Chargers by a touchdown and a point after. This time around, most experts believe the Silver and Black will prevail by a pair of field goals to sweep the season series.
Abe Gutierrez's (Twitter: @GutierrezAbe) passion led him to ditch law school journey in order to launch his own publishing company. His expertise make him a valued addition to Examiner.com, AXS.com and the CBS-Sports family. Some of his work can be found on CBS-Miami (Dolphins), CBS-LosAngeles (Chargers), CBS-BayArea (Raiders), CBS-NewYork (NY Jets), CBS-TampaBay (Buccaneers), AXS.com, aExaminer.com and other online publications.
