The Oakland Raiders week 10 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers will kick off the second half of the season for the Raiders. With the playoffs in sight, the following Raiders x-factors must perform well.
If primetime isn’t enough to get people excited about Thursday’s contest between the Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers, then the combination of a division rivalry and playoff implications should pique people’s interest.
Los Angeles and Oakland are a half-game apart from each other and trail Indianapolis for the second AFC Wildcard spot. If the Raiders x-factors can perform well, the team will be able to pull away from its in-state rival and potentially gain ground on the Colts.
Divisional games are always tough to win and the Silver and Black face a team that has some momentum and confidence heading into the game. Last week, the Bolts upset one of the best teams in the NFL, the Green Bay Packers, by two possessions. Ever since Phillip Rivers took over as the starter, the Chargers have played very well in the Coliseum and the quarterback is 9-5 in Oakland.
With three wins in the team’s last five contests, the Raiders have plenty of reasons to feel good about themselves heading into Thursday night as well. Also, not having to travel on a short week is an advantage for the team. Now the question is, can they capitalize?
This is the time of year where playoff teams start to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. If the Raiders are going to become a serious postseason contender, that process starts this week and requires the following players to step up.