SAN DIEGO – When the lights are on, everything goes off for the Raiders.

Fundamentals are forgotten. Discipline is an afterthought.

A victory? That's just a dream.

That sad truth was on display again Thursday as the Raiders made schedule-makers look silly by imploding for the nation to see in a 34-7 loss to the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium.

The Raiders have lost 10 consecutive contests by an average score of 28-12 when showcased in a night game by the NFL.

The loss was the 11th in a row to the Chargers and assured the Raiders of a sixth consecutive season with double-digit losses.

It also reminded everyone why the NFL might not want to subject the entire country to Raiders football.

"We're not close and it's clear that we're not close," said cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha. "We don't play good football, we don't play sound football. We've been undisciplined. We wonder why we don't get prime-time games, and this is why."

Even ever-optimistic interim head coach Tom Cable couldn't find clichés to prop up the Raiders' effort. Cable had no answer why the Raiders choose prime-time games to be at their worst.

"It's probably just coincidence," Cable said.

The team's lack of discipline popped up in the first quarter when linebacker Isaiah Ekejiuba was penalized for unnecessary roughness for a late hit on a kickoff return. That put the offense on its own 10-yard line. Three plays later, JaMarcus Russell was sacked and fumbled. The Chargers recovered the football to set up a three-yard touchdown run by LaDainian Tomlinson for a 10-0 San Diego lead.

Defensive tackle Tommy Kelly shoved a Chargers player after a play on what would have been third down in the second quarter. The penalty helped San Diego go 96 yards and score on an eight-yard catch by running back Darren Sproles for a 17-0 advantage.

Raiders running back Justin Fargas summed it up as "a lack of execution, a lot of lack of discipline across the board."

A visibly angry Asomugha was more pointed.

"You can't go out and play the way we played and expect to win or expect to do well," Asomugha said. "We were all over the place. Just blown assignments, blown coverages. We just make it too hard on ourselves."

The offense committed four turnovers that contributed to 17 points for the Chargers. Besides his fumble, Russell threw two interceptions. He was injured when Shaun Philips landed on his right ankle after he had thrown his second interception two minutes before halftime. Russell was on crutches and wore a walking boot after the game. He said his ankle was sprained.

Andrew Walter replaced Russell in the second half. The offense didn't score, with the Raiders' only points coming on a 92-yard kickoff return by Justin Miller 10 seconds before halftime and the Raiders trailing 27-0.

The offense has failed to score a touchdown in five of 13 games this season.

"I'm sick of losing – especially like that," said Raiders tight end Zach Miller. "As an offense, we were inept today."

So where does another loss like this leave the Raiders? Asomugha said it leaves them right where they've been the past six seasons.

"You just wonder how many people care and how many people are upset," he said. " … We made it hard on ourselves. … Blown assignments. That's where we are right now. We're not close."

Read Jason Jones' Raiders blog at www.sacbee.com/raidersblog.