The Week 16 matchup between these longtime AFC West rivals could also mark one of the final games with Darren McFadden in an Oakland uniform. The veteran running back is scheduled to be a free agent in the offseason, and general manager Reggie McKenzie is almost certain to let him walk.
Equally intriguing is whether the Raiders will continue to rotate quarterbacks and whether their defense will pull out of the tailspin it’s been in for the past four games.
Here’s a look at some of the key things to know heading into Oakland’s Week 16 game against San Diego.
Leave it to the Chargers to throw a wrench into the division standings. Mike McCoy’s squad has been up and down all season before settling down to make a push for the postseason. A 27-20 win over the first-place Denver Broncos was the latest step in the right direction and got San Diego to .500, needing to jump two teams to get into the playoffs.
Denver still has control in the division and in the AFC. The Broncos are the top seed and have the tiebreaking advantage over Kansas City should it come down to that. They also have an easier stretch run, closing with the Houston Texans and Raiders while the Chiefs play a pair of playoff contenders in the Indianapolis Colts and the Chargers.
Oakland? At 4-10 they need to win one of their final two games to show improvement in the standings and to avoid an epic collapse that would only be comparable to the crumbling act they pulled in 2012.
Allen said during a press conference earlier this week that he expects McFadden to practice Wednesday, and the news is equally optimistic about safety C...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Oakland Raiders
