Chargers vs. Raiders 2014 picks and predictions: Philip Rivers and co. expected to roll

San Diego has been one of the NFL's best teams thus far. Oakland is already on its second head coach.

The San Diego Chargers take on the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum this week, and the circumstances could not be more different for each club. San Diego is 4-1, leading the AFC West by a half-game over the favored Denver Broncos and coming off a 31-0 pounding of the New York Jets. Oakland has a new interim head coach in Tony Sparano and is coming off a bye week which was preceded by a 38-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins, dropping it to 0-4.

About the only thing to two teams have in common is the constant notion they could be headed to Los Angeles, but that is for another day. The Raiders are hoping to build a winner behind rookie quarterback Derek Carr and a new head coach, whether that is Sparano or a fresh face at the end of the season. The Raiders have been awful since going to the Super Bowl in 2002, failing to post a winning record since. In general manager Reggie McKenzie's reign, the team has finally escaped salary cap hell but has an 8-28 mark.

The Chargers have been to the playoffs plenty since acquiring Philip Rivers in a draft-day trade from the New York Giants in 2004. Still, San Diego is looking for its first Super Bowl appearance since 1994. This year could be the ticket behind second-year coach Mike McCoy and Rivers, who has played on an MVP-level this season. Rivers comes into Week 6 having thrown for 1,443 yards and 12 touchdowns against two interceptions. Rivers has done all this with a rushing attack that ranks 27th in the league.

For most of the experts around the country, picking the winner of this game was a faster process than blinking. The Chargers got the unanimous vote at USA Today, with Gary Micohes making San Diego his lock of the week. Along with the 49ers beating the Rams, ESPN.com made the Chargers its only other clean sweep. While all eight CBS Sports analysts picked the Chargers to win, John Breech and Will Brinson believe the Raiders will cover the 7.5-point spread.

Here at SB Nation, great minds have once again proven to think alike with all seven experts believing San Diego will improve to 5-1 with a road victory.

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