LA Chargers: Limiting Darren Waller and 4 keys to beat the Las Vegas Raiders
By Jason Reed
The LA Chargers take on the Las Vegas Raiders for the first time this season.
After a really hard to watch divisional loss in Week 8 against the Denver Broncos, the LA Chargers head home to host the Las Vegas Raiders. The Chargers are looking for their first divisional win since Week 17 of the 2018 season.
The Raiders are a solid team that has some big wins under their belt this season. They were able to complete jobs that the Chargers weren’t, besting the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints — two teams that the Chargers blew double-digit leads to.
However, the Raiders are not perfect. They have had some ugly games, such as an ugly loss to the 2-5 New England Patriots. The Chargers have the talent to get the job done on Sunday, but they have to execute on these four keys.
1. Force a turnover down the stretch
The Raiders have a -4 turnover differential this season while the Chargers have a -3. Turnovers have plagued the Bolts in the past and it has been better this season, although they have had some key turnovers.
The Raiders are not a team that forces many turnovers as they only have four takeaways this season as opposed to eight giveaways, six of which are fumbles.
I think we are going to see a relatively clean game by both sides where the ball is not turned over and whoever makes the one key turnover in the second half will flip the game and ultimately decide it.
Derek Carr is not someone who turns the ball over often and the best-case scenario for the Bolts may just be to get a strip-sack. Regardless, this is not a game where the Chargers need to force several turnovers and win that way. They just need one important one when it matters.