Just Blog Baby
FanSided

Week 14 AFC West Roundup

By Justin Smith

Dec 8, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) is defended by Oakland Raiders linebacker Cory James (57) during a NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 8, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) is defended by Oakland Raiders linebacker Cory James (57) during a NFL football game at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
5 of 5
Next
Dec 24, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) carries the ball against San Diego Chargers cornerback Adrian Phillips (31) during the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Oakland Raiders defeated the San Diego Chargers 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 24, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders running back Latavius Murray (28) carries the ball against San Diego Chargers cornerback Adrian Phillips (31) during the third quarter at O.co Coliseum. The Oakland Raiders defeated the San Diego Chargers 23-20. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

San Diego Chargers

4th Place – AFC West

Record: 5-8
Last Game: lost to Carolina Panthers (5-8) 28-13 in Carolina
Next Game: home to Oakland Raiders (10-3) Sun, Dec 18, 4:25 EST

Another game, another cadre of turnovers for Philip Rivers. Once a gunslinger who made more plays than mistakes, Rivers has become the West-coast version of Jay Cutler this season.

Only Rivers looks like he cares.  You won’t see any “Smokin’ Philly Riv” memes out there. You may see “Evangelically Angry Philly Riv” memes. Or “Childish Gamesmanship Philly Riv.” But never apathy.

It’s too bad, because this season has gotta hurt. Injuries. Rejection from your city. Rejection from your fanbase. Interceptions. Fumbles. A real sense that nobody cares where the team goes, as long as it doesn’t affect their daily commute.

Shooting yourself in the foot repeatedly in the early parts of the season.

It all adds up to a rich tapestry of garbage for the Chargers, one which they could shroud the Raiders in this weekend if Oakland isn’t careful. It may look like San Diego has given up on their season – and who would blame them – but divisional games are not the norm.

Teams love to beat their rivals. Rivers hates the Raiders. Dean Spanos hates the Raiders. Boltman — the uglier, dumber-looking version of “Duffman” — hates the Raiders.

Raider Nation is indifferent to the Chargers in comparison to the Chiefs or Broncos. But compared to any of the other 28 teams? The Raiders hate the Chargers. Sometimes. When they’re good.

The Chargers this season are good. They’re just crazily depleted, snakebitten, and downright

The Raiders need to win all their remaining games to give themselves a good chance to win the division and at least hold on to the first wild-card spot. The Chargers would like nothing more than to contribute to their demise. They’re missing some key pieces, of course. Brandon Flowers is now on IR. 

They get a chance to stick it to the Chiefs too, on the final week of the season. They play the Browns in between so they’ll likely get one more win. But then it’s the Chiefs at home to close things out.

Imagine they either beat the Raiders and lose to the Chiefs, or lose to the Raiders and beat the Chiefs? They can single-handedly determine the winner of the AFC West based on having games against those two in the next three weeks.

No team with so little to play for has so much influence over what may happen in January.

More from Just Blog Baby

Home/Las Vegas Raiders News