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Up to date 5m in the past
The Chargers shut down the Raiders in a 20-9 victory on “Monday Night time Soccer,” ruining the Las Vegas house debuts for Pete Carroll and Geno Smith.
Justin Herbert threw two landing passes, together with a 60-yard strike to Quentin Johnston, whereas L.A.’s protection recorded three interceptions off of Smith. However the Chargers misplaced star edge rusher Khalil Mack to an elbow damage within the first half after Mack’s arm acquired pinned between a teammate and a Raiders ball provider on an tried sort out.
The Chargers advance to 2-0 and take sole possession of first place within the AFC West.
GO FURTHER
Chargers vs. Raiders takeaways: L.A.’s protection leads win, however Khalil Mack damage
The Chargers are atop the AFC West because of a suffocating efficiency from Jesse Minter’s protection. They picked off Geno Smith 3 times. They didn’t permit a landing. They held the Raiders underneath 4 yards per play.
No quarterback produced extra explosive performs than Smith in Week 1, and the Raiders led the NFL in explosive move price, based on TruMedia. In opposition to the Chargers, the Raiders solely totaled three explosive passes. All of them got here on quick Smith throws and yards-after-the-catch alternatives.
The Chargers put a roof over the deep a part of the sphere. Two of Smith’s interceptions have been on down-the-field throws, together with Donte Jackson’s in the long run zone within the fourth quarter.
The Chargers allowed the fewest factors within the league final season. They’ve allowed 30 via two video games this season. The Chargers dominated the Raiders with out beginning security Elijah Molden, who missed the sport with a hamstring damage.
They usually misplaced Khalil Mack within the first half. The Chargers additionally held Raiders tight finish Brock Bowers to 5 catches for 38 yards.
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The protection needed to overcome a fairly up-and-down efficiency from the Chargers’ offense.
Justin Herbert completed with stable numbers, however the Chargers solely scored three factors within the second half. Working backs Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton mixed for 52 dashing yards on 16 carries. The Chargers solely transformed three of their 10 third-down makes an attempt.
The protection needed to bail out the offense within the fourth quarter when coach Jim Harbaugh went for it on fourth-and-1 from the 50-yard line. The Chargers tried a jet sweep handoff to receiver Derius Davis, however Herbert and Davis botched the trade.
The Raiders took over in Chargers territory, down 11 factors. The protection acquired the cease when Derwin James broke up a move meant for receiver Jakobi Meyers in the long run zone, and the tipped move fell into the arms of Donte Jackson.
The protection compelled a turnover on downs later within the fourth quarter. The Chargers took over on the Raiders’ 29-yard line, and Hampton misplaced a fumble on the primary play of the drive. The protection compelled one other turnover on downs on the subsequent collection.
Jesse Minter’s unit salvaged a fairly sloppy day from the Chargers’ offense.
With Brock Bowers almost non-existent within the passing sport on Monday, it felt like Geno Smith was urgent to attempt to make performs occur.
His first interception was on the very first play from scrimmage, however the subsequent two interceptions got here after both a damaging or no-gain second down, each on third down.
Smith’s second interception was on a third-and-6 after an incomplete move the earlier play, and his third interception was on a third-and-15 after shedding 5 yards on a move behind the road of scrimmage to Ashton Jeanty.
Total, the Chargers broke up or batted away 15 passes.
For the third straight week to open the season, Los Angeles will face an AFC West foe as they host the Denver Broncos on Sunday at 4:05 pm. ET.
This will likely be adopted by a visit to MetLife to face the New York Giants in Week 4.
Las Vegas will hit the street on a brief week, touring to Washington to face the Commanders on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.
It stays unclear if Jayden Daniels will swimsuit up, after choosing up a knee damage in defeat at Inexperienced Bay on Thursday evening.
Chargers 20, Raiders 9
First downs:
Complete performs:
Complete yards:
Passing yards:
Speeding yards:
Time of possession:
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Per the stellar analysis of my colleague Michael Bailey, by way of Soccer Reference, the Los Angeles Chargers have sole possession of first place within the AFC West for the primary time since Week 5 of the 2021 season.
The Chargers didn’t make the playoffs that season although.
Welcome to sole possession of first place within the AFC West, Chargers!
💬 Nate E: “Chargers and Raiders each draft RBs within the 1st spherical and neither can run the ball.”
💬 Mark D: “Welcome to the Geno Smith expertise, Las Vegas. He’s your drawback now.”
💬 Stuart E: “Would somebody please inform Harbaugh and Roman their O-line just isn’t a operating O-line; 3 failed makes an attempt inside the ten. They’ve Herbert and good receivers. Quick 5-10 yard passes or screens to burn the clock.”
💬 Tim F: “That Raiders protection is fairly dang good as lengthy Crosby is there, and the particular groups is all the time stable. However this offense is terrible. I assumed for positive they’d proceed to run the ball, which was efficient at occasions. Jeanty 25 occasions a sport. Unsure why they’d put a lot on Geno’s shoulders.”
Jakobi Meyers led the Raiders in targets once more tonight, seeing 12 passes from Geno Smith.
He caught six of those passes for 68 yards and his quarterback missed him a couple of occasions, which may have padded these stats a bit.
L.A. Chargers — Welcome to the 2025 2-0 membership!
There are 10 groups with a clear begin heading into Week 3, with the Chargers becoming a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers tonight, contemporary off their late, dramatic 20-19 win on the Houston Texans.
The Los Angeles Rams, Arizona, Indianapolis, Buffalo, Cincinnati, Inexperienced Bay, San Francisco and Philadelphia full the record. The Rams and Eagles face off on Sunday, whereas the 49ers host the Cardinals.
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Justin Herbert has scrambled above 9 % of drop backs in each video games this season. His 9.6 % scramble price this 12 months is by far the best price of his profession.
Is that this the legendary Quentin Johnston breakout?
The third-year wideout was tied with Keenan Allen for a team-high seven targets, making the largest play of the sport as he tracked down a 60-yard landing move from Justin Herbert within the second quarter.
He already has three touchdowns in two video games …
The under chart can be spectacular if it was towards nearly any NFL quarterback.
However for the Chargers protection to close down deep passes like that — towards Geno Smith, who’s turn out to be one of many league’s finest deep move maestros over the previous few years?
That’s actually one thing.
… a minimum of within the twenty first century, or so long as each tackles for loss and passes defensed have been tracked.
Ashton Jeanty seems the half in flashes but it surely’s exhausting to think about him having a lot success this season behind this Raiders offensive line.
The rookie rushed for 43 yards on 11 carries however he needed to earn each single yard. His first run of the evening was exhilarating, trucking a Chargers defender within the course of. Sadly, that was his longest run of the evening.
He additionally caught three passes for one whole receiving yard.
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It’s been 18 years since an 0-3 Stanford workforce marched into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and shocked a USC workforce vying for one more nationwide championship.
Jim Harbaugh has remained a thorn in Pete Carroll’s aspect ever since.
Harbaugh 1, Carroll 0 in Chapter 3 of their lengthy teaching rivalry. The 2 are actually 5-5 towards one another as NFL coaches.
Look, it wasn’t the perfect watch — but it surely introduced a real spotlight.
Justin Herbert flying additional than early final season, and Quentin Johnston getting to 2 touchdowns in 2025 — chasing down his career-high eight in 2024.
It’s solely Week 2, however he’ll count on to beat that tally from right here.
Omarion Hampton had a tough go of it in his second NFL sport.
The rookie out of North Carolina rushed for twenty-four yards on eight carries, and 15 of these yards got here on one rush. He acquired three seems on the aim line within the third quarter however couldn’t punch within the rating.
And late within the fourth quarter, he had a fumble that led to Najee Harris enjoying the rest of the sport.
