Week 10 gets underway courtesy of a battle between AFC West rivals as the Los Angeles Chargers take on the Oakland Raiders. Both teams are chasing the Kansas City Chiefs for the top spot in the division, however, it seems like neither will ultimately be able to usurp them especially with Patrick Mahomes close to returning to the field of play. The season has gone in opposite directions for these teams.

The Chargers were coming off a strong season where they made the second round of the playoffs but they have not repeated that same success to begin this season. A disappointing start has them currently at 4-5 through nine games. They are behind both Kansas City and Oakland in the standings right now. Injuries have put a damper on their performance as they were without Russell Okung and Hunter Henry for a majority of their games and All-Pro safety Derwin James remains out. Philip Rivers has been inconsistent at best and Melvin Gordon’s return wasn’t the boost the team expected. Still, the talent is there for them to turn things around if everyone can come back (and stay) healthy soon.

Meanwhile, the Oakland Raiders have seen quite the turnaround in year two underneath head coach Jon Gruden. They currently sit at 4-4 and in second place in the AFC West, they also remain in the race for a potential wild card selection. A year after dealing away Khalil Mack, the Raiders have the superior record to the Chicago Bears halfway through the 2019 season. Even the drama surrounding Antonio Brown from training camp has been put on the backburner. Derek Carr looks a lot more comfortable in Gruden’s offense and rookie running back Josh Jacobs (acquired with the first-round pick the team received in the Mack trade) has transformed this team. The loss of Jonathan Abram to injury and Vontaze Burfict to suspension has weakened their defense but they still have hope to sneak into the postseason.

QB Matchup: Philip Rivers vs. Derek Carr

Philip Rivers looks to be losing the bale with Father Time before our eyes. While he remains a capable starter he no longer seems to have the ability to take over games on his own for the Chargers. Thankfully Los Angeles has invested in weapons to help him and the team at a good enough level to compete with the top teams. Yet, things haven’t gone too plan for them this season. A good game from Rivers tonight will go a long way towards salvaging the season for the Chargers. Carr, on the other hand, has been nearly as good as when he was in contention for MVP honors and the Raiders were one of the top teams in the AFC. Even without Brown on the field, he’s managed to find and build rapport with his other pass catchers and help Oakland put together a solid offense. They’ll need a strong game from Carr if they want to get past the .500 mark.

RB Matchup: Josh Jacobs vs. Austin Ekeler / Melvin Gordon

As noted above, Jacobs has been great for Oakland. If he continues this level of production throughout the second half of his first NFL season then he’ll be on track to take home Offensive Rookie of the Year honors at the end of the season. After being part of a platoon at the University of Alabama, Jacobs has become a workhorse in the NFL. He can play all three downs and is arguably as good of a receiver as he is a runner. His talents make him the perfect fit for what Oakland wants to do. The Chargers have been relying on a duo in their backfield between Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler. At first, Ekeler was by himself as Gordon held out and in his absence Ekeler performed admirably. Gordon returned and he sputtered out of the gate some. However, in last week’s big win over the Green Bay Packers, Gordon scored twice on short-distance goal-line runs. If they are able to get going in the same game they could put up some explosive numbers.

WR Matchup: Keenan Allen vs. Hunter Renfrow

Out wide, Keenan Allen has been one of the most productive in the NFL this season. He’s been the most consistent player for the Chargers all season. His ability to play in the slot, on the perimeter, and all over the field allows him to really be a weapon for Los Angeles. Any coverage that isn’t a double team might as well be leaving him wide-open. Allen is well on his way to being an All-Pro selection this season. To begin the season, this slot probably would’ve gone to Tyrell Williams but of late, it’s been rookie wide receiver Hunter Renfrow who has become a favorite of Carr. Last week against the Detroit Lions, Renfrow caught a team-high six catches–on seven targets–and scored a touchdown. The quick slot receiver made a name for himself in college thanks to back-to-back dominant games against the Crimson Tide. He now looks to bring that same stability and consistency to the Raiders.

TE Matchup: Darren Waller vs. Hunter Henry

Darren Waller has seemingly come out of nowhere to have a great season for the Raiders this year. However, Oakland has been high on him ever since they brought him over from the Baltimore Ravens practice squad. Waller combines size and speed to be a true mismatch for opposing defenses. Carr has found him all over the field but naturally, he does most of his damage between the hashes and up the seam. With James still healing there’s a real chance that Waller has an explosive outing tonight. Hunter Henry is a similar player for Los Angeles. However, he hasn’ been able to be a consistent threat for Rivers and the Chargers as he’s dealt with numerous injuries during his time in the league. After missing some games this season, Henry has picked up right where he left off. His addition has had a big impact on the Chargers offense.

DEF Matchup: Joey Bosa vs. Vontaze Burfict

Joey Boas is part of the dominant defensive end brother duo that is running roughshod all over the NFL this season. The older of the two, Bosa has been showcasing his skills for more years. However, as has been the case far too often in Los Angeles, injuries have meant that he is unable to be on the field at all times for the Chargers. He will be sent to try and get Carr off his spot in the pocket and also tasked with keeping Jacobs contained on the ground. The thing is, he can easily pull off both feats. He has all the talent teams are looking for in a game-changing pro. Oakland’s defense doesn’t necessarily have a singular talent on the same level as Bosa but one of their more important pieces is safety Karl Joseph. With first-round pick Abrams out, Joseph has been asked to do more for the Raiders. He can play at the line, in the box, or as a lone deep safety. His versatility makes him someone that opposing teams must always find on the field.

PREDICTION: Raiders 24, Chargers 21