OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -For three straight weeks, the Oakland Raiders have served as the perfect patsy for playoff-bound opponents looking to hold clinching parties.
First, it was Green Bay wrapping up the NFC North. Then, Indianapolis beat the Raiders to win its division, and, last week, Jacksonville clinched its playoff berth with a 49-11 thrashing of Oakland.
San Diego has already locked up its second straight AFC West title, but a win at Oakland on Sunday would give the Chargers something almost as important: the No. 3 seed.
By beating out Pittsburgh for that coveted spot, the Chargers (10-5) would play Tennessee of Cleveland in the opening round instead of Jacksonville, and would be assured of not playing top-seeded New England until at least the AFC title game.
“Honestly, at the end of the day, we were the first seed last year and it didn’t matter,” defensive lineman Luis Castillo said. “We still lost and we still got knocked out. The whole focus this year was just to get to the playoffs. Get to the dance and we can take it from there. That’s the focus right now. Let’s get right. We’re going to play an intense game in Oakland and we’re going to do things the right way.”
While many of the Chargers downplay the importance of seeding after losing to New England as the top seed a year ago, Raiders coach Lane Kiffin thinks it’s clear who San Diego would rather play.
The Jaguars (11-4) are the last team to beat the Chargers, winning 24-17 last month, while San Diego already won at Tennessee (9-6) earlier this season.
That’s probably why coach Norv Turner isn’t planning to sit his starters for this game against the Raiders (4-11) like Tampa Bay coach Jon Gruden did last week in San Francisco with only seeding on the line.
“I think it’s obvious who they’d rather play,” Kiffin said. “They have a lot to play for, so you do see them at their best.”
The biggest obstacle standing between the Chargers and the three seed is a talented but untested rookie quarterback set to make his first start in the NFL. If history is any guide, the Chargers don’t figure to have much to worry about when they take on JaMarcus Russell and the Raiders.
While being a quarterback picked first in the draft usually generates big contracts and loads of hype, it rarely leads to a win in the first start. Of the 15 quarterbacks taken with the No. 1 pick since the common draft began in 1967, only David Carr with Houston and Jim Plunkett with New England earned the win in their debuts.
Atlanta did win the first game Michael Vick started and Denver won with John Elway, but the winning scores were thrown by their backups in those games.
Only three of the quarterbacks completed more than 50 percent of their passes, while collectively the 15 quarterbacks completed 47 percent of their passes with 15 touchdowns and 20 interceptions.
“When you’re dealing with a younger quarterback you want to make him make some decisions right away,” San Diego linebacker Shawne Merriman said. “I think we have to come in here and do some different things and really apply some pressure on him and do it early.”
The Jaguars were able to do that to Russell last week in his first extensive playing time. Russell, who played five series total in two previous games, played nearly all of the final three quarters against the Jaguars. He finished 7-for-23 for 83 yards, but turned the ball over four times.
Kiffin criticized Russell for “extremely poor decision making.” Russell said he has to learn that some of the plays he was able to make with ease in college don’t work against NFL defenses.
The one bright spot came on the final drive, when Russell threw a 2-yard pass to Zach Miller for his first career touchdown.
“This time I plan on doing a lot better,” Russell said. “I was just trying to make things happen. … I try to make any and every throw because I feel like I’m confident and I can make that. But just looking back on it, there’s times where I can just keep that down and get 2 or 3 yards and hold the ball for your team for the next drive or series.”
Turner has had experience with heralded rookie quarterbacks from his time as offensive coordinator in Dallas during Troy Aikman’s rookie season. Turner said the only way for a young quarterback to get better is to play.
Turner had the chance to see Russell up close during a pregame workout before the teams played in San Diego back in October.
“I was just kind of blown away, impressed with his ability, his physical ability, his ability to throw a football, his accuracy and all that,” Turner said. “He’s going to be an outstanding player and he’s going to go through what all young guys go through. There’s a process to where you get to where you’re ready to play.”
There are a few other things at stake in the season finale, including LaDainian Tomlinson’s bid to wrap up his second straight NFL rushing title for San Diego. Tomlinson heads into the finale with 1,418 yards, 113 ahead of Minnesota rookie Adrian Peterson and 127 ahead of Philadelphia’s Brian Westbrook.
The Raiders are also looking to snap an eight-game skid against the Chargers and beat each of their division rivals in the final meeting this season. Oakland had lost 17 straight AFC West games before beating Kansas City last month and Denver the following week.
Add A Comment
THIS IS NOT A GAMBLING SITE – If you think you have a gambling problem click here.
Disclaimer: This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Individual users are responsible for the laws regarding accessing gambling information from their jurisdictions. Many countries around the world prohibit gambling, please check the laws in your location. Any use of this information that may violate any federal, state, local or international law is strictly prohibited.
Copyright: The information contained on TheSpread.com website is protected by international copyright and may not be reproduced, or redistributed in any way without expressed written consent.
About: TheSpread.com is the largest sports betting news site in the United States. We provide point spread news, odds, statistics and information to over 175 countries around the world each year. Our coverage includes all North American College and Professional Sports as well as entertainment, political and proposition wagering news.
©1999-2023 TheSpread.com