Chargers-Raiders Breakdown

By Jason Owens, SDNN sports editor

Position San Diego: chargers_helmet_jan8 Chargers
 Raiders Edge
Coach He got his troops fired up for Kansas City, and popular theory suggests that it’s the beginning of the the typical mid-season Chargers resurgence under Norv Turner. Will this weekend give us an answer? Only if the Chargers don’t blow it. But the Giants and Eagles will be much more telling down the road. Tom Cable is best known for the allegations that he beat up on assistant Randy Hanson. The ever-dysfunctional Raiders have been even moreso since Cable took over last season. The Raiders continue to lose under Cable (6-12) and things keep getting stranger in Oakland. Norv has his knocks, but he’s by all accounts a good man and at times a capable NFL coach. Cable hasn’t shown signs of being either for Oakland. Chargers
QB Philip Rivers performs at a very high level when he’s not busy being pummeled. When he actually found protection, he was close to perfect against the Chiefs (18-of-30, 268 yards, 3 TDs, O ints). The Raiders — particularly Richard Seymour — gave Rivers a rough go in the season opener, but he still played well. JaMarcus Russell got benched in last week’s
38-0 loss to the Jets. Cable says he’s still the man, though. Why? Because he’s getting paid big-time first round money. His 891 yards, 2 TDs, 8 ints and damning 46.3 percent completion rate all say he’s the worst starting QB in the NFL.		 Ummmm — yeah. We’re going Chargers here.
RB Tomlinson showed some flash against a depleted Kansas City team. But that’s it. Seventy-one yards on 21 attempts, 36 of which came on one run, is far from a performance that says LT is back. Being stifled on four straight goal-line plays is an even more frustrating sign. Sproles is still dangerous in the open field but ineffective behind the line. The Raiders miss second-year back Darren McFadden who is expected to miss a fourth straight game with a torn miniscus. Justin Fargas and Michael Bush are equally middling — neither manages 4 yards per carry or finds the end zone with any regularity. With a healthy McFadden, Oakland may have the edge here. But he’s not, and they don’t. Chargers, in a case of the lesser of two disappointments.
WR/TE Vincent Jackson’s stock continues to soar after his 142 first-half yards against Kansas City set an all-time Chargers record. Antonio Gates’ stock continues to hold as one of the league’s most dangerous tight ends. Both should be in the Pro Bowl conversation. Malcom Floyd, Legedu Naanee and Chris Chambers provide solid depth. Zach Miller’s a solid tight end — which usually spells trouble for the Chargers. Beyond that, the Raiders receiving corps consists of mostly unknowns (Louis Murphy, Todd Watkins) and a first-round reach of a rookie (Darrius Heyward-Bey), who inexplicably went before Michael Crabtree in the draft (Maybe they
knew Crabtree would be a holdout diva). Where’s Johnnie Lee Higgins? With Russell throwing all over the place, none of them have produced.		 Chargers, easy
O-Line Center Nick Hardwick practiced this week but doesn’t appear ready to return to action. The current bunch looked cohesive for the first time this season against a weak K.C. front. Greg Ellis and Richard Seymour steamrolled them in week one. It will be another stout test on Sunday, even if a gimpy Ellis can’t go. The Raiders don’t have much sympathy for the Chargers injury woes. They lost G Robert Gallery to a broken fibula against Kansas City. While Gallery is and always will be a colossal draft bust, he’s still a key cog to the Oakland running game. Like Hardwick, he’s practiced this week, but isn’t expected to play. San Diego has its struggles, but showed signs of improvement last week. The Raiders’ unit keys the worst offense in the NFL. Chargers
D-Line An ankle injury has sidelined Ogemdi Nwagbuo during practice this week — another blow to a beleaguered unit. Luis Castillo and Jacques Cesaire did a good job with their K.C. assignments, setting up the linebackers and safeties to wreak havoc. The Raiders O-line presents another unit ripe for building confidence.
 I can’t figure out why New England shipped Richard Seymour away. He’s picked up right where he left off with with four sacks, 25 tackles and a forced fumble through six games. Veteran Greg Ellis is a force on the other side with four sacks of his own. He’s missed practice this week but is expected to play on Sunday. Even if Ellis can’t go, Oakland still boasts one more playmaker than the Chargers. The Raiders will be in all-out attack mode.
Linebacker The Chargers linebackers that we’ve heard so much hype about finally showed up last week. Two sacks from Shaun Phillips. Five tackles and big-time pressure from Shawne Merriman. And 11 tackles and a pick from Tim Dobbins. Wait — who? Dobbins? Way to step up special teams guy! Kirk Morrison is a tackling machine (67 in six games), but doesn’t do damage behind the line of scrimmage. Ricky Brown is out with an ankle injury. It’s a fairly unimpressive unit with a reputation for going through the motions. Just ask Greg Ellis. The Raiders are exactly what the oft-criticized Chargers backers need to build momentum.
Secondary Steve Gregory stepped into his new starting safety role quite nicely with a sack and an interception against the Chiefs. Quentin Jammer is always rock solid. Antonio Cromartie is always an enigma. Eric Weddle — who knows what you’ll get from him week to week. Nnamdi Asomugha is as good as it gets. He doesn’t have any interceptions because quarterbacks are too freakin’ scared to throw his way. Someone needs to create a stat to quantify how much of a badass he is. Watching him match up with Vincent Jackson should be a treat. The rest of the unit is passable. You never know which unit is going to show up for San Diego. Asomugha is enough to give the Raiders and a 12th ranked pass defense a slight edge here.
Spec. Teams Mike Scifres’ 49-yard average on four punts against K.C. — three of which weren’t returned — quelled concerns about his groin injury and the coverage unit that gave up two scores against Denver. Darren Sproles and kicker Nate Kaeding? Still money. Four-time Pro Bowler Shane Lechler is Scifres’ nemesis, keeping him out of Hawaii the last two seasons. Sebastian Janikowski is a head case with a huge leg who’s
hit all nine of his field goal attempts this season. The return game is a mess.		 Lechler may have Scifres’ number when it comes to Pro Bowls, but the Chargers boast the better special teams.
Overall The Chargers have momentum and face an opponent in shambles. Look for continued attempts to establish a running game against  the league’s 28th-ranked run defense. Philip Rivers could face some pressure, but that hasn’t stopped him all season. On defense, look for an energized pass rush to push Russell around. The Raiders should try to run against a
questionble Chargers front. Passing isn’t an
option. They’ll roll the dice on defense, look
to pressure Rivers and hope the secondary can capitalize. It’s not likely.		 This is the perfect opponent for San Diego to build on coming off a big win.The Raiders won’t find whatever magic sent them past the Eagles two weeks ago. The Chargers make it 13 in a row against Oakland in a a big way — 31-10.