At 4-3 for the season, the Las Vegas Raiders can't seem to string together enough successful games to back up the bold statements they made at the start of the season. It's been very difficult to exactly gauge where the success needle will end up resting for the Raiders when the season concludes, but they can start to make a lasting impression on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers.
The Raiders were set to be Super Bowl contenders, but those plans have been put on hold with losses to some formidable teams such as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Buffalo Bills. With most of their losses coming against a majority of teams that are above .500 for the season, it's easy to state that better days are ahead for the Raiders.
They are coming off a 16-6 win against the Cleveland Browns, which didn't leave much to remember from the offense. Even so, the Raiders truly have to take things one game at a time if they want to have a serious chance at contention down the line.
Here are a few predictions that can happen with the Raiders-Chargers matchup in Week 9.
4. Derek Carr goes for 250-plus yards, 4 TDs
Carr wasn't exactly himself in Week 8 against the Browns. He didn't get his only touchdown until late in the game and completed 62.5 percent of his passes for 111 yards, his lowest mark by far of the season. Carr set out on a hot streak at the beginning of the season, throwing over 225 yards in all of his games until Week 8. He's completed 71.1 percent of his passes this season for 1,837 yards, resulting in 14 touchdowns.
While he was able to sneak away with a victory against the Browns with a lowly performance, he'll surely not leave things to chance against the Chargers. The Chargers rank 30th in passes attempted, while ranking 21st in both yards allowed from passes and touchdowns from passes. To say the least, Carr is set to have a big game. He's totaled 907 air yards this season, which could boast well against the Chargers.
That being said, expect for Carr to send off 250-plus passing yards which will result in at least four touchdowns.
3. Josh Jacobs is held down by Chargers
While Josh Jacobs has performed modestly through eight weeks of action, he may see a drought come Sunday. He was able to turn in a great game against the Browns last week, rushing for 129 yards off 31 carries. This week, however, he'll be going against a defense that doesn't do any favors for halfbacks, which could spell trouble.
The Chargers, though 19th in the league in points allowed, have found quite a few achievements this season in limiting halfbacks right from the backfield. They rank fourth in touchdowns allowed off rushing attempts and 12th in yards gained off rushing attempts. With that, Jacobs' chances of having a stellar performance are already at a disadvantage.
Carr shouldn't look to Jacobs for much help in Week 9; He'll be held to less than 60 rushing yards and no touchdowns.
2. Raiders' defense gets three interceptions
The Raiders don't pose the best defense in the league, that could change against the Chargers. The Raiders have only totaled three interceptions for the season, which is awfully low considering other defenses that are averaging significantly more around this time of the season.
They'll be facing off against rookie sensation Justin Herbert, which could surely pose a problem. Even so, the Raiders have to look to make the most of limiting his opportunities early if they plan to take his momentum out of the game. He's thrown five interceptions so far this season, with his latest outing against the Denver Broncos being a matchup in which he threw two of those five picks.
If the Raiders are looking to make it a match, it starts with limiting Herbert's production. Their defense will limit Herbert while forcing him to throw three interceptions.
1. Raiders start strong, lose late
For all that it's worth, the Chargers are itching to shake off their woes from a 31-30 loss to the Broncos in Week 8, and they'll look to start with the Raiders. The Raiders defense has left much to be desired in recent outings, and the offense for the Chargers is a few tweaks away from making a significant turnaround as the season passes its halfway point.
While Herbert has been sure to give the Raiders' defense their just due in terms of posing as a challenge, it doesn't mean that the rookie quarterback won't look to have a dominating performance against a shaky defense from the Raiders. In typical fashion, the Raiders will likely come out the gate strong against the Chargers during the first half, before letting Herbert's heroic performances take over in the second half before eventually losing all their momentum.
The Raiders will have a 10-point lead heading into the half, before blowing it in the second half and losing to the Chargers.
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