Hookscenter is going to guarantee a win on his 5 Star Pick of the Week. The 5 Star has been a rollercoaster this season. Three losses followed by nine straight wins and then 4 rotten eggs.

The San Diego Chargers (10-5) travel to Oakland (4-11) to take Raiders at McAfee Coliseum in the season finale. If San Dego win, they lock up the number 3 seed in the AFC playoffs and a much easier road to a possible date with the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship game.

If the Raiders lose, they lock up a top five draft pick next April.

The Raiders have made strides in Lane Kiffin’s first year as head coach of the Silver and Black. The total in the win column hasn’t jumped dramatically but the Raiders have been a lot more competitive this season. Of the Raiders 11 losses, six of them are by seven points or fewer.

Oakland looked like it packed its bags in for the season as they were routed by Jaguars, 49-11, last weekend in Jacksonville. The number 1 pick of last season’s draft, JaMarcus Russell, will get the starting nod for the Raiders. Al Davis believes it has been a successful season because he won’t have to pay top dollar for the first pick next season.  

Led by reigning league MVP LaDainian Tomlinson and with two keys to their defense getting back in game shape, the AFC West champion Chargers will try to solidify their playoff positioning.

In the last meeting, Tomlinson matched a career high with four rushing scores among 24 carries for 198 yards in a 28-14 win on Oct. 14. It was San Diego’s eighth straight win over Oakland.

The Chargers have rebounded nicely after a 1-3 start. The Chargers have won 9 of their last 11 games and resemble the team that took the AFC be storm last season.

The addition of WR Chris Chambers to the receiving unit has opened up the offense. Chambers presence has turned Tomlinson back into the touchdown machine he was last season and it has opened up the middle of the field for TE Antonio Gates.

The Raiders have been outscored 77-31 in three straight home losses to the Chargers. Last season, Aaron Brooks and Andrew Walter combined to go 8-for-19 for just 96 yards in a 27-0 defeat there to San Diego.

The Chargers have been dynamite the last two months and don’t expect anything less than 30 plus points on the board for San Diego. The defense will play “LIGHTS OUT” literally and give Russell a taste of what its like to be any NFL quarterback.

Russell will be eating turf more Sunday than passes he will be completing.

This game could get ugly in a hurry and that why it is not only my 5 Star Pick of the Week, it is Hookscenter’s 5 Star Pick of the Year.

Enjoy the extra spirits on New Year’s Eve courtesy of the Chargers. San Diego wins 38-9.

5 Star Pick of the Week (9-7): San Diego (-8) @ Oakland.

4 Star Picks of the Week (19-16-1): Chicago (+3) vs New Orleans, Pittsburgh (-3) @ Baltimore, and Cincinnati (-2 1/2) @ Miami.

Rest of the Week (69-57-2): New York Giants (+14 1/2) vs New England, Philadelphia (-7 1/2) vs Buffalo, Carolina (- 2 1/2) @ Tampa Bay, Washington (-9) vs Dallas, Green Bay (-5) vs Detroit, Houston (-4) vs Jacksonville, Atlanta (-1) vs Seattle, Cleveland (-11 1/2) vs San Francisco, Minnesota (-3) @ Denver, Arizona (-6) vs St. Louis, Indianapolis (+7) vs Tennessee, and Kansas City (+6 1/2) @ New York Jets.

Overall Record: 97-80-3.