Despite the expected drop in productivity following their Super Bowl win and an offseason filled with departures, the Denver Broncos are rolling right along and are undefeated going into Week 5. Meanwhile the rest of the AFC West, including the Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers, have to feel like they can’t catch a break.
On Sunday, Oakland will play host to San Diego as they chase the Broncos in the division. The game will kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on CBS on television. A live stream will be available online only via an online Sunday Ticket subscription.
The Raiders were expected to contend for the division this season, and they are doing just that even if they’re behind the Broncos. They are 3-1 to start the season, and are coming off a quality win over the tough Baltimore Ravens in their last outing. The only other good team they’ve played is the Atlanta Falcons, and they ended up on the losing end of that game, unfortunately.
Oakland, more than anything, needs to be able to win against AFC West competition and that includes the slumping Chargers on Sunday. They also play the Kansas City Chiefs the following week, and the Broncos are looming at the start of November. The division looks like it will be a close race early, though the Raiders can essentially nullify the Chargers’ chances of being part of that by beating them on Sunday.
That would cause the Chargers to fall to 1-4, an almost insurmountable start to their season. The Chargers have only beaten the Jacksonville Jaguars this season, losing to all of the Chiefs, Indianapolis Colts, and the New Orleans Saints. The Raiders managed to beat that same Saints team already this season.
Philip Rivers has played well for the Chargers, but it hasn’t been enough. He’s completed 67.6 percent of his passes for 1,110 yards with seven touchdowns and an interception. He’s not getting a ton of help from his running game, and will get even less with Danny Woodhead lost for the season. He’s also lost top receiver Keenan Allen for the season once again.
San Diego is beat up, struggling and unable to support Rivers, still one of the league’s top quarterbacks. Despite the injuries, the Chargers are ranked 14th in the league in total offense and third in the league in points scored per game. Defensively, they come in at 20th in the league in yards allowed and 23rd in the league in points allowed per game.
Oakland doesn’t fare much better there, ranking 22nd in points allowed per game. Offensively, they rank seventh in the league in points per game and fourth in the league in total yards on the offensive side of the ball. On paper, the Raiders are the much better team and that is born out in their records this season.
Below is all you need to watch Sunday’s game.
How to Watch Chargers vs. Raiders on Sunday
Time: 4:25 p.m. ET
Location: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, Calif.
TV: CBS
Announcers: Tom McCarthy, Adam Archuleta
Online Streaming: Sunday Ticket