Bolts, Raiders renew rivalry

By Steve Corkran
Contra Costa Times

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The San Diego Chargers were just another team to running back Justin Fargas, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and linebacker Sam Williams when they joined the Raiders in 2003.

These days, the Chargers are a twice-a-year reminder to the Raiders that they no longer own the AFC West and that the Chargers are the measuring stick by which they gauge success.

The Raiders enter today's game on a 12-game losing streak against a Chargers team that for most of its first 44 years of existence played second fiddle to the big, bad Raiders.

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"It's big," Asomugha said. (Twelve) straight can be a motivation for a lot of people, but it's not really a motivation for me. Just the fact that they've beaten us (12) times, that says a lot in itself."

The Raiders beat the Chargers the first time the teams played in 2003. The Chargers returned the favor later that season and haven't lost to the Raiders since.

Asomugha, Fargas and Williams were fresh-faced rookies the last time the Raiders beat the Chargers. They are in their seventh NFL season. Punter Shane Lechler and kicker Sebastian Janikowski are the only other Raiders who were here for the last victory over the Chargers.

"I've never walked off the field against San Diego with a 'W,' and that just leaves a bitter taste in your mouth," linebacker Ricky Brown said.

Linebacker Thomas Howard said the players don't discuss the skid often, though everyone is aware of it.

"We don't talk about the streak," Howard said. "But, yeah, it's definitely been a (long) streak, so we have to break it. I haven't beaten them. It's all about breaking the streak."

The Chargers also don't spend much time talking about the streak. They know all too well how fortunes change in an instant.

The Raiders won 54 of the first 87 games in the series- they tied twice -- between the former American Football League franchises.

Chargers running back LaDainian Tomlinson was on the losing end four of the first five times the teams played after he entered the league in 2001.

"It hasn't been that long," Tomlinson said of the streak. "We play them twice a year. You guys talked about (12) straight times. I remember when they were kicking our butts all the time."

Those memories are fading, though. The Chargers have scored at least 21 points in every game of the streak, have never allowed more than 20 and have won by an average of 15.

The Raiders came close to ending the streak in the season opener Sept. 14, when they led 20-17 late, but the Chargers scored a touchdown and held on for the victory.

"Obviously we're disappointed in the first game," said defensive end Richard Seymour, acquired by the Raiders eight days before the opener, who helped them dominate the Chargers for much of that game. "We felt we should have won that game but we didn't, and we need to go out and play better this week."

Tight end Zach Miller said the Raiders need to use the frustrations from losing to the Chargers to their advantage.

"Hopefully everyone will want to get some revenge for what happened in Week 1," Miller said. "We felt like it was definitely a winnable game there at the end. We just didn't finish it. ... A win here would be huge for us.

"We've got to do whatever it takes to win."