The Los Angeles Chargers need to redeem themselves after an ugly game before the bye. Can they do it against a division rival who seems to be on a downward spiral? Below is what to watch for:
1. Can the Chargers’ Defense Have Another Multi-Interception Game?
The Chargers managed three interceptions against Raiders quarterback Geno Smith when they first met in Week 2 this season. One interception was by linebacker Daiyan Henley, another by cornerback Donte Jackson, and the last by safety Tony Jefferson.
Can they reach or even top that number in this next game?
Besides the running game with Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty, the key to the Raiders winning on offense is getting it to one of their biggest playmakers in tight end Brock Bowers. Now Bowers’ performances have been mixed due to injury, but when he gets hot, look out.
So this Chargers’ defense has to stop Smith from connecting with him.
Jackson currently leads the team in interceptions (three) while rookie safety R.J. Mickens (two) and Jefferson (two) are not far behind. Mickens has been finding his footing in recent games while Jefferson has been out with injury. I definitely expect Mickens to make a big play on Sunday, same with Jefferson if he plays, and think Jackson and Henley can continue creating the disruptions necessary to keep this Raiders’ scoring offense ranked 31st.
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2. The Chargers’ Run Defense
The Chargers had the second-worst PFF run defense grade (48.8%) of the season against the Jags before the bye. Not only did Jags running back Travis Etienne Jr. have a multi-touchdown day, but rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten had a breakout game with 74 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and his longest run of the season at 15 yards.
For the Raiders game this week, really critical run defenders like safety Derwin James Jr., Henley, linebacker Denzel Perryman, and edge Tuli Tuipulotu, who currently leads the team in tackles for loss, will be counted on to make sure this defense doesn’t falter.
The kryptonite for the Chargers is a high-powered running back, which was very obvious against the Colts in Week 7, as running back Jonathan Taylor also had a multi-touchdown day. After the Chargers’ experience with Tuten before the bye, the Chargers can’t let another rookie running back get the best of them, especially on a team like the Raiders that is very much imploding. As a note Jeanty is currently dealing with an ankle injury, so he’s still listed as questionable to play this week.
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3. The Pressure on Quarterback Justin Herbert
Justin Herbert is now only 10 sacks away from being sacked as much as he was in 2024, which was 45. It’s scary to think he may exceed that number, and in this next matchup, it’s not going to be easy to avoid the pressure.
Defensive end Maxx Crosby isn’t at his peak, but still leads the team in sacks with six and tackles for loss with 19. Defensive lineman Jonah Laulu is a close second with four sacks, and he also sacked Herbert during their first meeting this season.
It’s not yet clear who will start at left tackle, whether it be offensive lineman Jamaree Sayler or Trevor Penning. But whatever combination there is, it better work, because it doesn’t matter how bad the Raiders are offensively, the defense still spells TROUBLE.
4. Will Quentin Johnston Return to Early Season Form
For a while, Johnston seemed like the second most important wide receiver on this offense. Certainly, wide receiver Keenan Allen always gets a lot of targets, but there were times when Johnston was up there with Allen and had more receiving yards than wide receiver Ladd McConkey.
And Johnston still has the most receiving touchdowns on the team with six. The target number for Johnston has dropped in recent weeks, and in Week 8, he didn’t see any against the Vikings, and against the Jags, he only had two.
It will be interesting to see if Johnston’s production ramps back up, but because so much depends upon the offensive line, it’s hard to tell what direction things will take.
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5. What the Chargers’ Run Game Looks Like
Rookie running back Omarion Hampton has been on injured reserve, and perhaps the Chargers can get him back this week, as on Tuesday, his 21-day practice window was opened. If he is active on Sunday, the Chargers will get an extra weapon on offense to take a little pressure off Herbert.
Hampton and running back Kimani Vidal can create a one-two punch on the ground. If Hampton’s not active this week, then it will be the “Vidal show” once again.
And even if Hampton is back, he may need a bit of a ramp-up period before picking up where he left off, so Vidal may still be taking the brunt of the rushing snaps. Like Johnston, Vidal has seen a dip in production, and if he’s the lead back this next game, it will hopefully serve as a bit of a get-right matchup, depending on how the run blocking holds up.