LA Chargers: Getting to know the Las Vegas Raiders
By Devon Auriemma
Prediction
The LA Chargers show time and time again just how good they can be. It’s just a matter of closing out games. The rest of the NFL is 52-4 when having three score leads this year and the Chargers are 0-3. Until we are able to see some change, it will be hard to trust this team, no matter how big of a lead they have.
Teams When Leading by 17+ This Season (Entering SNF):
Chargers: 0-3 (.000)
All Others: 52-4 (.929) pic.twitter.com/EcsCUF5jRe
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) November 2, 2020
The Raiders offense has been good to start the year. Derek Carr is playing well and has quietly been one of the most efficient quarterbacks in the league. They have a great running back who can be a game changer and have a receiving core that has loads of talent and speed which will cause problems for the Chargers defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, it seems that Shane Steichen has been getting better as the season goes on. It really comes down to Gus Bradley and the defense. Even with all of the injuries to their defense the Chargers have shown that they can dominate, it’s just a matter of being able to close out games and not taking their foot off the gas.
Like how all Chargers games seem to go, this will be a close one. Both offenses have been very good through the first eight weeks of the season and their defenses rank in the middle of the league in many stats.
This is a game that could go either way, but I’ll give the edge to the Raiders in this one, mainly due to the Chargers inability to close out games. Until we see change happen, it will be tough to trust this team going forward.