Talk about a home opener to forget. The Las Vegas Raiders opened up their home schedule with a 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Geno Smith threw three interceptions, and the Raiders’ offense only generated three field goals.
Chargers starting quarterback Justin Herbert threw for 242 yards and two touchdowns.
Takeaways:
Smith’s Crippling Interceptions:
The interceptions started on the first play of the game when Smith tried to fit a pass in a tight window in the seam.
The second one came on a deep ball when Smith was flushed out of the pocket, and the last one came in the red zone when the Raiders technically still had a chance.
The interceptions weren’t all Smith’s fault; the blame also falls on the wide receivers who couldn’t generate separation. Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly can only generate so many opportunities; sometimes, it’s up to the receivers to win individual battles. It’s part of the reason why Smith was 0-12 on 10 or more air yards.
Defense Better Than Many Thought:
Justin Herbert’s numbers weren’t bad, and he had two beautiful touchdown passes, but he wasn’t an overwhelming force. The run defense held the combination of Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton to 16 carries for 52 yards.
The pass rush needs to improve. The Raiders only generated two sacks and three hurries. That’s not going to get it down over 17 games.
How can the pass rush improve? Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham will need to generate it through the scheme without exposing the secondary.
Offense Couldn’t Win First Down
The Raiders faced 2nd-and-long and 3rd-and-long situations all night, and the Chargers took full advantage of them.
Las Vegas’ running game was dormant, allowing the Chargers’ defense to pin their ears back and come at Smith. The running game is more than just Ashton Jeanty.
The Raiders’ offensive line needs to open holes for both Jeanty and Zamir Smith. Early on, there was success, but it quickly evaporated, and the Raiders’ offense abandoned the running game altogether, despite the game still being within reach.
