Yesterday, I brought up four reasons to be concerned about the Chargers’ season opener against the Raiders on Sunday.
Let’s flip the script.
Here are some reasons to be optimistic about the rivalry game:
Reinforcements on the defensive line
Last season’s Week 18 game against the Raiders was marred by the sight of running back Josh Jacobs gashing the Chargers up the middle over and over again. That loss knocked Los Angeles out of the playoffs, forcing them to respond in kind. With at least two new starters on the defensive line – Sebastian Joseph-Day and Austin Johnson – as well as Morgan Fox and Otito Ogbonnia, two potential rotational pieces, the Bolts figure to be a much-improved run defense. That should allow them to commit fewer bodies to the run, further clogging passing lanes for quarterback Derek Carr.
Khalil Mack’s talent
In the pass rush department, the Chargers sometimes struggled to generate pressure when Joey Bosa was shut down. This time around, double-teaming Bosa is less of an option. With Mack rushing from the other side, one of LA’s studs will be one-on-one with the Raiders’ offensive line. That line, it must be said, looks rough on paper. That could force Las Vegas to keep an extra blocker in during passing situations, or at least use an extra player to chip Bosa or Mack. Carr is historically a much worse quarterback when under pressure, and the threat of Bosa and Mack could make him quite jittery in the pocket.
Favorable wide receiver matchups
The Raiders are thin in the secondary, with 2021 fifth-rounder Nate Hobbs and former Colt Rock Ya-Sin listed as their starters to open the season. That should open opportunities for wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams to keep the ball moving. Josh Palmer should also have a big role, in which case Allen will likely operate out of the slot. We’ve seen Justin Herbert’s chemistry with all three receivers build in training camp, and with a weak secondary in Vegas, the Chargers’ offense shouldn’t have many issues driving down the field, at least in theory.
Year 2 in the offense
One of the main themes in training camp from the Chargers was the belief that the offense was going to open up this year with additional comfort in the system. Herbert’s sophomore season was, of course, phenomenal, but there seems to be a feeling that his success came from an almost robot-like precision when operating within the confines of the offense. This season, Herbert will almost certainly be given more freedom to be a creator rather than offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi’s superpowered on-field avatar. While that may lead to a few kinks early in the season, Herbert has shown that he has the talent to warrant that kind of trust.
