SAN DIEGO — The focus, of course, is the San Diego Chargers’ game Sunday with the Oakland Raiders.

But before that, a Wednesday practice gave hope to a team that lost three straight.

Among those practicing were three key players who had missed significant time — running back Ryan Mathews and linebackers Manti Te’o and Jerry Attachou. Mathews (knee) and Te’o (foot) have been out since Sept. 14, with Attachou (hamstring) missing five of the last six games.

“We still have some time to decide who is going and who isn’t,” Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. “But it is at least good to see them back out on the practice field and see where they are.”

Mathews, in particular, would be a shot in the arm for the Chargers. If the Pro Bowler last year can breathe some life into the team’s stagnant running game, it would lighten the load on quarterback Philip Rivers.

“He would be fresh and wouldn’t have the bumps and bruises you usually wouldn’t have at this point in the season,” Rivers said. “And he can build from this week, hopefully, and get him back at full strength as we progress and we win a bunch more games.”

The Chargers are currently sitting with a 5-4 record. If the season ended today, they would be on the outside looking in as the AFC’s No. 9 seed.

That’s what makes Sunday’s game against the winless Raiders pivotal.

“It’s a division game,” Rivers said. “I don’t feel it any more than I do the Chiefs or Broncos, to be honest with you. I understand and know our fans, with it being in-state and all that, it is a little bit more to them. But as players, division games are that.”

A win not also snaps a three-game skid, but possibly sets up a two-game home sweep with the St. Louis Rams up next.

So, with some players possibly returning, it could be just what elevates the Chargers from their rut.

“No question it makes us a better football team but it doesn’t guarantee we will go out and play great,” Rivers said.

So maybe not.

“I think the energy we have is more so that we need to get a win,” safety Eric Weddle said. “Getting these guys back is a positive but we are not relying on them to turn this thing around.

“We all got to play better, mix those guys in there and they will help. But let’s not get it blown out like they are going to come back and make this huge difference. Let’s just ease them back in and let them to get back to full game speed. Hopefully they can give us something.”

The Chargers will take anything, including a date with the NFL’s lone winless team. Not that the Chargers see it quite that way, especially after escaping with a 31-28 win from Oakland earlier this year.

“I don’t pay much attention to the record any week that we play,” Rivers said. “Instead you watch it on tape and you know how the game was when you played them four or five weeks ago.

“I don’t get caught up in the record. There is a lot of respect we have for those guys on the defense. It’s a good group and one we got to get ready to go.”

It’s go-time for the Chargers, an up-and-down bunch that has experienced a five-game winning streak and a three-game losing streak this season.

“We’re excited to come back,” Te’o said, “and finish this season off the right way.”