San Diego Chargers vs. Oakland Raiders Preview
Where: O.co Coliseum, Oakland
When: Sunday, October 9, 2016, 4:25 PM ET
Line: San Diego Chargers (+3.5) at Oakland Raiders (-3.5); total: 51.5 – view all NFL lines
TV Broadcast: CBS
Writer’s Pick: Oakland Raiders (-3.5)
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Betting on the San Diego Chargers (+3.5)
If football games were only a couple of minutes shorter, the 1-3 San Diego Chargers would be undefeated this season. All of their three losses had them choking in heartbreaking fashion.
Week 1 versus the Chiefs: Up by 17 with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter, they CHOKE.
Week 3 versus the Colts: Up by two with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter and the Colts are on their own 37, they CHOKE.
Week 4 versus the Saints: Up by 13 with eight minutes left in the fourth quarter, they CHOKE.
In collapses such as those, there’s no particular player, coach, or unit to blame, it’s all on the whole team. They simply have to move past that, though, as they will be facing a young, emerging team in the form of the Oakland Raiders.
Statistically, the offense is producing fine, scoring 30.3 points per game (third in the league). Quarterback Philip Rivers is netting 277 yards a contest, while boasting seven passing touchdowns and only one pick. The running game, meanwhile, is scoring more than last season, exceeding the previous year’s four rushing TDs in just four games (they now have six), all of which were made by second-year back Melvin Gordon.
The defense has a lot of room for improvement. They have taken the ball away from opponents eight times this season (tied for fifth), but can’t seem to capitalize on it and do it when it matters most. The 307 passing yards they allow every game isn’t also helping.
The Chargers have lost five straight road games (4-1 ATS).
Betting on the Oakland Raiders (-3.5)
Will the Oakland Raiders be able end their 13-year playoff drought this season? Quarterback Derek Carr is causing a lot of people to believe so, as he again led the team to a big 28-27 win over the Ravens. He tossed four TDs and was able to completely evade pass rushers.
The QB should be having no worries distributing the ball in Week 5; his 68-percent completion rate and nine TD to one INT ratio will be safe against the on and off Chargers defense. Carr is expected to continue hooking up with Michael Crabtree and Amari Cooper, who are combining for 59 percent of his total passing yards (626 of 1066).
Oakland is currently on a running back-by-committee approach, splitting carries for Latavius Murray, DeAndre Washington, and Jalen Richard — the trio is combining for 19 carries and 116 rushing yards per game. They will be facing up the Chargers’ ground defense that hasn’t allowed a team to rush for more than 93 yards this season.
The goal for the Raiders D is to pressure the quarterback and limit the run. The yardage they are allowing through the air (325 yards per game) and on the ground (134 yards per game) are both atrocious.
Writer’s Prediction
Derek Carr continues his great play, helping the Raiders (-3.5) win, 35-28.
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