Philip Rivers is no stranger to the Chargers-Raiders rivalry.
Sunday marks number 17's 21st game against Oakland, and he boasts 14-6 record against the AFC West foe. He's completed 650 (62.9%) passes for 4,835 yards and 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions for a 91.8 passer rating against them.
So what does Raiders Week mean to Rivers?
"When I came in, the guys that had been here awhile and obviously Marty (Schottenheimer's) history with being in the division, Raiders week was a huge deal. I learned that early on. I think too LT, Drew (Brees), all those guys who had been here awhile; you know they grew up in this rivalry. We don't have many guys who have grown up a part of it. We have so many young players. But the first thing is it's a division game, and that's what makes it a big deal. Then throw in the fact, which I have seen over the last 12 years, what it means to both cities- it's an in-state deal. I think that our record is really; it's temporary. We can't let that effect our emotion or the way we go about it. We really can't.
* Obviously the Raiders, I feel like we have been saying it (for a bit) where they have continued (to get better) year after year till all of the sudden you look over there and say, 'that is a heck of a football team.' And, it's always been tough (playing them). I know we had that stretch however many in a row we won, but it's always been a tough game. Always. And they had a stretch before (our) stretch that was super long."*
