The Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers have nothing to play for entering Sunday's clash in Carson, Calif. The two longtime AFC West combatants are experiencing disappointing seasons and the Raiders have lost their past four games while the Chargers have dropped four of their past five.
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The contest is also the final one at Dignity Health Sports Park for the Chargers before they move into SoFi Stadium for the 2020 season, and Oakland coach Jon Gruden said he will miss the diminutive venue that was originally built for soccer. "I do like playing the Chargers down there in that stadium," Gruden told reporters. "I think it's really cool. They've done a great job in the temporary time that they have to be there, and I'm sure they're very excited about their future as well." The Raiders are allowing an average of 34 points during their slide, while Los Angeles has been hurt by interception issues (11 in the past five games) from Philip Rivers. The veteran quarterback went over the 4,000-yard mark for the 11th time during last week's 39-10 loss to the Minnesota Vikings but was also picked off three times and lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -7 O/U: 45
ABOUT THE RAIDERS (6-8): Quarterback Derek Carr has completed a career-high 70 percent of his passes for 3,372 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions but hasn't recorded a 300-yard outing this season. Rookie running back Josh Jacobs (1,150 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) will sit out the game with a shoulder injury and that leaves DeAndre Washington (225 yards) and Jalen Richard (114) to handle the ball-carrying duties. Linebacker Tahir Whitehead is two tackles away from reaching 100 for the second time for the Raiders and fourth in his career while safety Erik Harris has three of the team's nine interceptions.
ABOUT THE CHARGERS (5-9): Receiver Keenan Allen (1,046 yards, five touchdowns) was selected to his third straight Pro Bowl with his third straight 90-catch season and is 13 away from surpassing the career-best 102 he caught in 2017. "He's been a great player for us," Rivers told reporters. "Hopefully we get him over 100 catches again in the next two weeks. I think his daily commitment to his craft and his position, and you see him block in the run game, and he's an all-around receiver." Veteran linebacker Thomas Davis leads the club with 107 tackles for his seventh season with more than 100 - the other six coming for the Carolina Panthers.
EXTRA POINTS
1. The Raiders recorded a 26-24 victory over the Chargers on Nov. 7 to halt a four-game skid in the series.
2. Los Angeles RB Melvin Gordon posted his lone 100-yard outing of the season when he gained 108 in the loss at Oakland.
3. Oakland RT Trent Brown - named to his first Pro Bowl earlier this week - was placed on injured reserve Thursday because of a pectoral injury.
Prediction