The Chargers are set to take on the Raiders on Thursday night.
Here are three key things to know about Los Angeles’ Week 15 opponent:
Collapsed defense
Take away the Raiders’ miracle of a play against the Jets and the team is winless in their last four outings. The reason why Las Vegas went toe to toe with a team like New York was because of their defense, which has been an issue for quite some time now. The Raiders have the 30th ranked defense going into Week 15. To avoid the ongoing issues from occurring, defensive coordinator Paul Guenther was fired following their loss to the Colts. Defensive line coach Rod Marinelli takes over.
Efficient offense
The reason why the Raiders have been able to pull away with some wins this season is because of their offense. Ranking No. 14 in the NFL, quarterback Derek Carr has done a fine job of tossing the pigskin, averaging 254.8 yards per game while limiting turning the ball over, as he only has seven interceptions compared to 24 touchdowns. Meanwhile, running back Joshua Jacobs is on pace to surpass the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the second consecutive season. Jacobs has nine total touchdowns.
Still hunting
The Raiders are playing with the hopes of being able to snag one of the final wild card spots. Currently 7-6, Las Vegas possesses the No. 9 spot. They held the eighth spot until the Ravens defeated the Browns on Monday night. The Raiders, essentially, must win all of their remaining three games, so coach Jon Gruden and company are going to give it all they got on Thursday night.