The Los Angeles Chargers had a rough season opener and are looking to get right this week in their matchup against the Raiders. Below are four things to watch for:
How The Offensive Line Protects Quarterback Justin Herbert
Rookie center Jake Slaughter and whatever left guard combination the Chargers try will have their work cut out for them as they fend off players like Raiders defensive ends Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye.
Crosby had double sacks last year (10), including two against the Chargers in their final meeting. Coming from the Colts, Paye was a little down in areas like sacks and tackles last year, but before that, he has been consistent in both. And he had two sacks and three solo tackles in his first game with the Raiders against Miami.
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Though Herbert is going to have the protection he needs with left tackle Rashawn Slater and right tackle Joe Alt in the mix, not having center Tyler Biadasz and a permanent left guard may make this unit more of a question mark against a pass rush that’s often given the Chargers trouble.
How The Edge Rushers Rattle Raiders Quarterback Kirk Cousins
With the addition of an extremely solid center in Tyler Linderbaum in the offseason, getting to Cousins may be a little harder. That’s why the Chargers’ edges really have to perform.
Edge Khalil Mack had a couple of incidents last game where he pressured Cardinals quarterback Jacoby Brissett, but Brissett still got the ball out. The edges will have to bring the pressure, finish their sacks, and more importantly, get Cousins out of the pocket.
He’s not the most mobile, especially after the ACL injury, so making him scramble may help increase his vulnerability to the pass rush and throw him off his game. I expect more of a contribution from rookie edge Akheem Mesidor this game, now that he has one matchup under his belt.
If Raiders Running Back Ashton Jeanty Dominates
Rookie Cardinals running back Jeremiyah Love looked good in his NFL debut with 41 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown, while veteran Cardinals running back Tyler Allgeier had 61 rushing yards. Love had a big gain of 18 yards down the right sideline during the second quarter, while Allgeier was breaking tackles on multiple plays.
Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty had triple-digit rushing yards against Miami and can easily do the same against the Chargers if the run defense isn’t on point. I expect more from linebacker Daiyan Henley next game.
If The Chargers’ Receiver Coverage Tightens Up
Cardinals tight end Trey McBride had 95 receiving yards with one receiving touchdown, while Cardinals wide receivers Kendrick Bourne and Michael Wilson had 75 receiving yards and 56, respectively. Despite the fact that safety Derwin James Jr. spent a fair amount of time in the free safety spot, slot, and box, the Cardinals players could not be stopped. And they often appeared wide open, gaining large yardage, or were in tight coverage and still making catches.
The Chargers need to button everything up more for this next game because if Raiders tight end Brock Bowers is back from injury, he will take advantage of any holes in that secondary.