NFL 2010 Week 5 Preview: Raiders vs Chargers

The Week 5 2010 NFL schedule features the San Diego Chargers traveling north to the “Black Hole”  in Oakland to face the Raiders.

The Chargers have been on a lose one then win one streak and sit with  2-2 record. The Raiders opened at 1-1 but have dropped two straight including a Week 3 heartbreaker when they missed a 32-yard field goal on the last play of the game against the Cardinals.

San Diego punished those same Cardinals 41-10 in a game that was never close last weekend. Oakland tried to mount a comeback with ten fourth quarter points but fell short 31-24 to the Texans in Week 4 of the 2010 NFL season.

2010 Chargers Offense

San Diego continues to have one of the most prolific and explosive offenses in the entire NFL. The Chargers rank in the top ten in all four major offensive categories. This includes averaging 28.2 points per game (3rd OA) and leading the league with 450.8 total yards per game.

The Chargers are the class of the NFC West and the numbers back it up. San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers has passed for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns. All world tight end Antonio Gates has caught six of the TD passes and his 324 receptions have gone for 386 yards.

The Chargers are also getting healthy at the running back position and that spells trouble for the rest of the division and the league as well.

2010 Raiders Defense

Not much has gone right for the Raiders during the 2010 NFL season. There’s lots of blame to go around for their 1-3 record but they do have one bright spot to build on. Oakland has the 3rd best pass defense in the league as they allow a miniscule 143.8 pass yards per game.

On the opposite end of the spectrum you find one of the reasons why they are so successful with their pass defense. Oakland’s run defense ranks 31st in the league so teams just run all day without much need to pass. That stout pass defense will have it’s hands full with River & Co. in Week 5 NFL action.

Game Analysis: The Raiders are trying to snap a 13 game losing streak against the Chargers that dates back seven years. A wise, seasoned bettor once told us “more money is lost betting on streaks to end than any other way.” Bodog.com has posted the Chargers as -6.5 road favorites with the total set at 45 points.

The Raiders will want to do everything possible to snap the ugly losing streak but with so many nagging injuries and a struggling offense we don’t see them putting up much resistance in this one. We will give the -6.5 points, bet on the under as see the Chargers leaving the “Black Hole” with a 31-13 victory.