Oakland Raiders: 5 keys to victory vs. Chargers
By John Buhler
The Oakland Raiders will host the division rival Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6. Here are five keys to victory for the Raiders on Sunday versus Los Angeles.
It’s pretty much a must-win for the Oakland Raiders. Should they fall to the division rival Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, that would have the Silver and Black in last place in the AFC West six weeks in. That essentially knocks the Raiders out of playoff contention, depending on what the undefeated Kansas City Chiefs do against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Oakland is on a three-game slide at 2-3, but will be at home this week to take on the Chargers, who are only 1-4 on the year. That’s all the more reason that the Raiders need to take care of business and get back to .500 at 3-3. A 3-3 record through six games should have the Raiders at least in the wild card hunt in the AFC.
Another factor that makes this game even more of a must-win is that the Raiders will host the Chiefs on Thursday Night Football in Week 7. Beating Kansas City will be very difficult. A loss to all three division rivals during a five-game slide could be the end of Oakland’s playoff hopes.
But we have to take it one game at a time. Oakland didn’t play well enough to win last week, but only the Raiders’ dismal performance against the Washington Redskins in primetime in Week 3 was truly embarrassing. If the Raiders are going to get that win, here are the five keys to victory over the Chargers on Sunday.
Convert on third down in the passing game
The best thing the Raiders can hope for on offense Sunday is sustained drives. Obviously, the run and pass will have to play off each other, but getting those third down conversions through the air will be most crucial.
That was really what sank EJ Manuel‘s afternoon on Sunday and hurt Derek Carr in Weeks 3 and 4. While Oakland can deliver the occasional quick strike offensively, this team is at its best when it is methodical through rhythm and timing in the passing game.
Getting a few extra third-down conversions through the air will allow offensive coordinator Todd Downing to get more creative in play calling. These aerial conversions might even open up some otherwise closed running lanes for the tailbacks to sprint through for big gains.
Converting on third down goes beyond the displeasure of going three-and-out. It’s about putting together six, eight, 10-play drives that can wear down the Chargers defense, as well as keep the Raiders’ unit fresher watching it all unfold on the sidelines in between defensive series.