The Chargers face the Raiders in a win-and-you’re-in matchup on Sunday night.
In a heated divisional bout like this, there’s always bound to be some things that occur that most people would not have forecasted.
With that being said, here are four bold predictions for Week 18’s matchup:
Derek Carr is sacked over four times
One of the highlights of the Chargers’ Week 4 win over the Raiders was their pass rush. They pressured Carr 22 times and sacked him on four occasions, with Joey Bosa leading the pack with seven pressures and a sack. Since then, Las Vegas moved rookie Alex Leatherwood from right tackle to right guard and Brandon Parker to right tackle. However, the two have combined for 87 pressures and 11 sacks allowed this season. With Bosa lined up over Leatherwood, especially, Los Angeles is set up to live in the backfield.
Derwin James and Asante Samuel Jr. each have an interception
Carr has thrown an interception in each of his last three games, bringing his total to 14 on the season. You couple that with the Chargers being able to get to him as much as they did last time earlier this season, he will be prone to make some mistakes. James had two almost interceptions last weekend against the Broncos, and Samuel has three passes defended in the past two games. It’s only a matter of time until they actually get their hands on the football, and I think this is where the former Seminoles do so.
Austin Ekeler totals over 150 yards
In the two team’s first meeting, Ekeler was one of the primary factors to the Chargers’ offensive success. He 145 yards from scrimmage, 117 rushing yards (career-high) on 15 carries (7.8 yards per carry), and two touchdowns. The Raiders are allowing 116.1 rushing yards per game and 38.1 receiving yards per game to opposing running backs this season. Meanwhile, the Chargers have averaged 134 yards on the ground over their last four games. Dominate in the trenches as the offensive line has been, utilize the screen game and get Ekeler matched up one-on-one with Raiders linebackers, and you should anticipate a big day from him.
Chargers win, 30-24
No, even if the Jaguars beat the Colts, the Chargers and Raiders will not play for a tie. Yes, you can look at the loss to the Texans and point out that Los Angeles is inconsistent. However, the team was down a multitude of starters then, but are proven to compete and beat the best of the best when healthy, which they will be in this game. On the other hand, Las Vegas has looked improved, especially on the defensive side of the ball, but the offense has only topped 23 points dating back to Oct. 25. This has the makings of a shootout, but Justin Herbert will lead the Bolts to their first playoff appearance since 2018.