Oakland Raiders Face Potential Trap Game Against San Diego

A Tale of Two Finishes

The biggest difference between these two teams is the one thing they have in common. Both teams have won and lost in the closing moments of their games. While Derek Carr has been leading triumphant comebacks for the Raiders, Philip Rivers has been watching the Chargers implode.

Against the New Orleans Saints, the Chargers led by 13. Against the Indianapolis Colts, the Chargers led by three points. And against the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers led by 21 points. The result of all three of those games? The Chargers lost every game. Silly turnovers, ineffective offense, and plain old bad luck helped the Chargers blow every single lead.

Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders have had a completely different kind of luck. They were down 14 points against those same Saints, but they managed to come back and complete the victory. Their other two victories, wins over the Tennessee Titans and Baltimore Ravens, came down to the wire, with the defense making the stop when it mattered.

Yes, the Raiders are 3-1 and the Chargers are 1-3, but it’s important to remember the two could just as easily be reversed. In fact, if a few plays went other ways, the Raiders could be 0-4 and the Chargers could be undefeated.

The Numbers

Believe it or not, the San Diego Chargers have actually scored more points than the Oakland Raiders this year. While the Raiders are sixth in the NFL with 108 points, the Chargers are second with 121. In fact, despite having plenty of success on the ground, Oakland’s Latavius Murray has significantly fewer yards than San Diego’s Melvin Gordon.

And defensively, the difference isn’t that huge either. The Chargers have allowed two more points than the Raiders through four games, and the Chargers have almost twice as many sacks as Khalil Mack and company.

Just Win, Baby

Of course, this isn’t the N”if”L. The games went down the way that they did, and the Raiders found ways to win. Carr and Michael Crabtree have become a clutch combination, and the defense have made the plays when it mattered. The Raiders have had their fair share of heartbreaking losses, and they deserve to win a close game or two.

Frankly, the Raiders are the better team. They have better coaches, and far better talent all across the board. They absolutely should defeat the Chargers this Sunday. However, San Diego is not the opponent to overlook. Divisional games are hard enough as is, especially when you underestimate them. The San Diego Chargers could be a trap for the Oakland Raiders.