Raiders vs. Chargers: AFC West showdown looming in LA

CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers directs his teammates during the game against the Oakland Raiders at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
CARSON, CA - DECEMBER 31: Philip Rivers #17 of the Los Angeles Chargers directs his teammates during the game against the Oakland Raiders at StubHub Center on December 31, 2017 in Carson, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

The Oakland Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers meet in an AFC West showdown on Sunday, Oct. 7 in Week 5 of the 2018 NFL Season

An AFC West showdown takes place as one old L.A. team takes on a new one. The Los Angeles Chargers will host the Oakland Raiders as each team tries to get things going after a slow first quarter of the season.

Week 4 saw the Raiders finally get themselves in the win column, but it wasn’t easy. They were down for most of their game against the Cleveland Browns and needed a great comeback for that to happen. They also needed a few little ‘assists’ from the refs, but the fact is they got the job done and got themselves a much-needed win.

That will go down as the first in the second stint of Jon Gruden’s time on the Raiders sideline. He hopes it’s just the first of many more, and he and the team head to L.A. to try and stack one on top of the other.

Here we will likely see a pro-Raiders crowd as the Chargers have struggled to grow their fan base in the new market. Each week it seems like there are more colors for the opposing team and given the fact that the Raiders used to play in L.A., it could be that way once again.

The Chargers did find a way to score a win last week as they were in their own stadium, despite it feeling the other way around. A sea of red covered the stands as the 49ers faithful willed the road team on. Can they again find a way to get a win and get themselves to 3-2? Or will both clubs walk away with an identical 2-3 mark?

TV and Live Stream Info

Date: Sunday, Oct. 7
Start time: 4:05 P.M. est
Location: Carson, CA
Stadium: ROKiT Field at StubHub Center
TV Info: CBS
Live Stream: NFL Sunday Ticket, FuboTV

The home team is favored in this one and it makes sense. They have the better record and Oakland needed a lot to go right in order to get their first win.

Betting Odds

Point Spread: Los Angeles -5.5
Moneyline: Los Angeles -263, Oakland +220
Over/Under: 53.5

Odds Courtesy of OddShark

Prediction

So far, the second Gruden era hasn’t been impressive. Their offense can get rolling, but their defense stinks. With Joey Bosa still out for L.A., expect the Raiders to be able to put up points. The problem is, they won’t be able to slow the Chargers high-powered offense down.

In a potential shootout, give me Philip Rivers over Derek Carr.

Final Score: Oakland 31, Los Angeles 37