NFL Playoff Picture: Week 4 Edition
By Martin Bater
AFC Bubble Teams:
- San Diego Chargers (2-2)
Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports
The Chargers caught a break as they eluded the ignominious fate of joining the Jaguars and Steelers in the “Missed the Game-Winning Field Goal Club”.
The Cleveland Browns gift wrapped them an offside penalty that allowed them to retake it from 34 yards out and avoid a third loss in a row.
Philip Rivers was masterful once again (23-38, 358 yards, 3 touchdowns, zero interceptions), but I am also mystified by how running back Melvin Gordon accumulated just 38 yards in 12 carries against the worst run defense in the league.
I also can’t buy this team yet because their two wins required a comeback from down 21-3 against the Lions and a last-second field goal against the Browns. The combined records of those two teams are 1-7.
The Chargers will be under the bright lights of Monday Night Football as they host the Roethlisberger-less Pittsburgh Steelers before traveling to Green Bay.
Finishing that mini stretch 3-3 is what is expected, 4-2 would cement them as a bonafide playoff contender and 2-4…well, you don’t even want to know what that would look like if you live in San Diego.
The fact remains that they also will have to deal with a divisional opponent just as inconsistent as they are.
- Oakland Raiders (2-2)
Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
The Oakland Raiders and their second-year quarterback Derek Carr are learning how to win, so it would be unfair to say they choked in their 22-20 loss to the Chicago Bears. But they choked.
They were up 20-19 after Sebastian Janikowski’s go-ahead field goal with two minutes to go, but then Jay Cutler played their defense like a fiddle as he set up Robbie Gould’s game-winning field goal with a pristine two-minute drill.
The Raiders contained Matt Forte, sacked Cutler three times and intercepted him once, but they came up short when they needed to come through the most.
The next four weeks will give us an indication about just how legit they truly are as they play the undefeated Denver Broncos at home, visit the Chargers and face the New York Jets in Oakland before heading to the East Coast for a date with the Steelers.
Next: AFC Wild Cards