SAN DIEGO - The dirt has been lifted off the Chargers and the grave remains empty. The team in danger of being buried when September ended can actually end today with at least a share of first place in the AFC West.

The Chargers (2-3) host the division-leading Oakland Raiders (2-2) at Qualcomm Stadium, and a second consecutive October victory would prompt hope that the team's early-season troubles are in the past.

"When you start the way we have, getting back to .500 would be big," Chargers coach Norv Turner said. "You dig yourself out of that hole a little bit."

The Raiders might be the most despised team on the Chargers' schedule, but there's no reason not to roll out the welcome mat. The Chargers have beaten Oakland seven straight times, and most of the games haven't been close.

The Chargers have outscored the Raiders 195-83 during that span - an average winning margin of 16 points - and have run roughshod over Oakland by averaging nearly 177 rushing yards per game during the streak.

"I think on one side of it, and I would imagine they would admit to this, they were down in some of those games," Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers said. "They haven't been the Oakland that they were a handful of years back and we were playing really good.

"I think you look at this game and this year, particularly, and they are kind of the Raiders that everybody was used to a handful of years back. They're big, they're fast and they play hard."

First-year coach Lane Kiffin has the Raiders playing well and believing they are no longer doormats after a deep decline.

Oakland went to the Super Bowl following the 2002 season with a veteran squad - they lost to Tampa Bay in the game played in San Diego - and things fell apart nearly immediately.

Over the next four seasons, the Raiders went 15-49 under three different head coaches - Bill Callahan, Turner (2004-05) and Art Shell (2006). This past offseason, they hired Kiffin, a former USC assistant who had never been a head coach at any level.

Kiffin, who turned 32 in May, made it a priority to change the negative atmosphere that was permeating the organization. The Raiders easily could be 3-1 right now - they lost to Denver in overtime - and firmly believe they are a team on the rise.

"We feel like we haven't even scratched at what kind of team we're going to be," said Raiders middle linebacker Kirk Morrison, a former San Diego State star.

Oakland had a bye last week and has had two weeks to prepare for the contest. Meanwhile, the Chargers enter with a high dose of confidence after blasting Denver 41-3 last Sunday.

The performance against the Broncos was easily the team's top showing of the season and it calmed the frenzied concern that was reaching a crescendo after three straight losses.

"I'm just glad that the losing streak stopped," Chargers general manager A.J. Smith said. "Now hopefully we can get a winning streak going. As I say to everybody, it's really early in the season and the only good thing going on during that streak was that we were very, very fortunate that no one pulled out. No 4-0 team, no 3-1 team in our division. That was pretty amazing and pretty lucky on our part because we weren't playing well.

"Now the circumstances - you know what our record is - and my goodness, you win a game and you could be in first place or tied for first place."

The Chargers are tied with Denver (bye today) and Kansas City (which hosts Cincinnati) for second, third and last place, so the logjam is evident. But just because the Chargers have recently dominated Oakland - the seven straight wins came under former coach Marty Schottenheimer, the long-time Raiders killer with a 27-7 career record against Oakland - doesn't leave a false sense of security.

The players know they are in for a fierce battle today with the division lead there for the taking.

"We know how important it is to beat Oakland because now we're putting ourselves in position to be first in our division," tight end Antonio Gates said. "That's why it's most important at this point because we have a chance to be right back in first place.

"What other place would you rather be in? That's the reason why you play in this game. To be in first place, and we have the chance of doing it this week."

Contact staff writer Mike Sullivan at (760) 739-6645 or msullivan@nctimes.com.