Though they could be sitting at 3-1 had two winnable games gone in their favor, each team is as good as its record says in the NFL.
For the Raiders to climb out of their early-season hole and establish some much-needed momentum heading into a difficult part of their schedule, they need to come out and show they are a better team than the way they have played in recent weeks.
To do that, they will be relying on some of their key players to win individual matchups against a surprisingly good Chargers team.
RDE Lamarr Houston vs. LT King Dunlap
Like any game, much of it will be won and lost in the trenches.
For the Raiders to slow down the Chargers’ passing attack, they will need their best defensive lineman, Lamarr Houston, to have a big game against King Dunlap.
Houston is becoming one of the better all-around 4-3 defensive ends in the game, but his impact needs to be felt as a pass-rusher more than anything else in this contest.
If he can win, and win quickly, at the line of scrimmage against Dunlap, Houston gives the Raiders their best opportunity at disrupting what has been one of the league’s most impressive passing offenses through the first four weeks of the season.
If he can’t do so, and the weight falls on the shoulders of the rest of the defensive line to put pressure on Rivers, it could make for a long day on defense for the Raiders.
On paper, this is a matchup where Houston should have plenty of success. But the Chargers will likely plan their additional pass protection accordingly.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
