Friendly L.A. crowd expected
Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn knows his team technically plays a home game against the Raiders on Sunday. He also knows it might not feel that way.
The Chargers have played before plenty of opposing fans throughout their first season at the 27,000-seat StubHub Center in Carson (Los Angeles County). That effect figures to be magnified Sunday as the Raiders, who played in Los Angeles from 1982 through ’94, return for their first game in the area in 23 years.
“I’m sure they will have a lot of their fans there,” Lynn said this week on a conference call. “A lot of their fans are still here. Fans don’t play. So, we have to prepare and get ready to go out and play against the Oakland Raiders and don’t worry about the fans.”
The Raiders moved into the Los Angeles Coliseum in 1982 and won the franchise’s third Super Bowl the following season. They made seven playoff appearances while in Los Angeles before moving back to Oakland. They still have plenty of Southern California fans.
When the Raiders clinched their first postseason appearance since 2002 against the Chargers on Dec. 18, 2016, in San Diego, it came before a largely pro-Raiders crowd at Qualcomm Stadium. On Sunday, it’s the Chargers who must win for a shot at the playoffs, and the Raiders who, at 6-9, are already eliminated.
It might not matter. Raiders linebacker Bruce Irvin, for one, aired his expectations for the crowd in a tweet this week: “Home game in la Sunday doe!”
“Anytime we’ve traveled south, that would be L.A., San Diego in the past, our fans travel really well,” quarterback Derek Carr said.
That can have practical effects. The offense typically practices a silent cadence for road games in loud environments. In a friendly stadium, Carr said: “We can go by our voice. It’s just little things like that.”
NFL Network reported that the Chargers expect a similar crowd split to last year’s game in San Diego, estimated around 75 percent pro-Raiders.
“That’s what’s being predicted — we’ll see what happens on game day,” head coach Jack Del Rio said. “But we’re prepared. We actually made it loud (in practices this week) with music on both sides, so that regardless of how it plays out, we’re ready to roll.” Injury report: It seems cornerback David Amerson will be active Sunday after missing the past eight games with a foot injury. Amerson practiced all week. He’s listed as questionable.
“I thought he moved around pretty well,” Del Rio said, “so he’s definitely available.”
Rookie David Sharpe, who replaced Donald Penn at left tackle against the Eagles on Monday, was added to the injury report Friday with an illness. Sharpe is listed as questionable.
The Raiders ruled out one player, defensive tackle Treyvon Hester (ankle), for Sunday. Tackle Vadal Alexander (concussion) is doubtful. Cornerback Dexter McDonald (knee) is questionable. Et cetera: Del Rio said he does not plan to replace Carr at QB on Sunday “barring injury.” Del Rio also took exception to those suggesting the Raiders “have nothing to play for.”
“I think those people probably didn’t play,” Del Rio said. “We cherish every moment we get to get out on that field and compete and play and perform.”
Running back Jalen Richard is the recipient of the Raiders’ Craig Long Award for exemplifying “professionalism and collaboration with the media.”