The Raiders are 2-0, and the first thing that jumps out is how they got there.
Las Vegas went into California and came away with a hard-earned win over the Los Angeles Chargers, a team that has controlled the two annual meetings since Jim Harbaugh arrived. It wasn’t clean.
It wasn’t comfortable. But it was the kind of game the Raiders have too often let slip away in past seasons, and this time they found a way through it.
That matters, because the Raiders’ offseason changes are already showing up on the field. The roster tweaks and coaching moves have helped fuel two straight wins, and Week 2 gave a clearer picture of which players are driving the early success - and which ones need to clean things up.
One of the biggest bright spots came from the secondary, where the Raiders spent heavily this offseason by adding two cornerbacks and two safeties through the draft. Masses was expected to help eventually, but Sunday answered the bigger questions: he can contribute now, and he can do it in a big way.
He finished with two interceptions, including one that sealed the game. If Darien Porter’s injury keeps him out for a while, Masses could get even more opportunities to grow with real game reps.
He was a player the Raiders had been talking about for some time before the draft, and the scouting department deserves real credit for finding him.
On offense, Tucker was the kind of field stretcher that can change the shape of a game. The Raiders may not have a true No. 1 receiver, and they don’t seem bothered by that.
Their first two games have shown a group that can win by committee, and Tucker was the one who popped against the Chargers. He put up nearly 120 receiving yards and a touchdown, finishing with 119 receiving yards.
His ability to threaten deep didn’t just help him pile up numbers - it opened things up for everyone else.
That included White, who the Raiders brought in during the offseason to add another layer to a receiver room with plenty of questions. The plan worked exactly as intended on Sunday, especially with the run game struggling to get going.
White took advantage of the space Tucker helped create and scored two touchdowns, matching the Chargers’ entire touchdown total by himself. It came a week after White made a special teams play that saved a touchdown, and now he’s already made his mark in a different phase.
Miller also showed why he remains such an important piece up front. After missing nearly all of last season, the left tackle has quietly settled back in and given the Raiders’ offense a steady presence.
Against the Chargers, he came through with several key blocks that helped stabilize an offense that had its share of problems. When he’s healthy, Miller is one of the best offensive linemen in the league, and the first two weeks have made that clear again.
Jeanty’s day was the one real blemish. That’s not usually where he lives, because he tends to do things right more often than not.
But the Chargers made it a point to stop him after his strong Week 1 showing, and the Raiders leaned on his receiving ability more as the game went on because the ground attack wasn’t doing much. He finished with four catches on seven targets, but three of those incompletions were drops on passes that hit his hands.
They came at key moments, and if Las Vegas had lost, those drops would have been a major part of the story.
Long term, there’s no reason to panic about Jeanty. He’s almost certain to bounce back. Still, Sunday was a reminder that even in a win, the margin can get thin fast when routine plays aren’t made.
In Other News...
Raiders Get An Early Opening Against A Shorthanded Chargers Defense
The Raiders are getting a first look at a Chargers team that is already dealing with some lineup uncertainty on both sides of the ball heading into Week 2. Los Angeles has had to shuffle pieces because of injuries, and that has opened the door for changes up front and in the secondary, including Kayode Awosika settling in at left guard and Tony Jefferson projected to start at safety.
From Las Vegas perspective, the bigger issue is how much the Chargers can clean up on defense after a rough opener. With key players either questionable or ruled out, the matchup gives the Raiders a chance to test a group that is still trying to settle its rotations and restore some stability before the division race gets any deeper. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Could Catch Chargers At The Perfect Time Up Front
The Chargers are already dealing with some early turbulence up front, and that matters to the Raiders as they look down the AFC West schedule. Los Angeles brought in Odafe Oweh in a trade, then moved on from him in free agency and tried to fill that spot by drafting first-round pick Akheem Mesidor, but the early returns have not matched the hope that came with the move.
For Las Vegas, that makes this a matchup worth watching closely. A front that is still trying to find its footing can be vulnerable if the pass rush does not hold up and the offensive line keeps giving ground, which is exactly the kind of opening the Raiders would love to exploit while the Chargers are working to avoid an early-season hole. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Young Talent Suddenly Carries Big Weight Against The Chargers
Week 2 brings a little more clarity, and a lot more pressure, for a Raiders roster that is leaning on younger pieces sooner than expected. Tre Tucker, Tonka Hemingway and Hezekiah Masses all move into sharper focus against the Chargers, and their roles matter even more with injuries shaping what both teams can and cannot do. The Raiders got a decent look at how those players fit in Week 1, and now the challenge is whether that early usage translates into something sturdier in a divisional game that tends to punish any hesitation.
For Las Vegas, the matchup is less about waiting for proven names to carry the load and more about whether emerging talent can hold up when the game plans get tighter. Tuckers speed, Hemingways interior work and Masses presence all sit at the center of that conversation, especially with the availability questions on both sidelines potentially opening doors in different spots. What the Raiders learn here could say a lot about how much trust they can place in that young group, and how quickly they need that trust to grow. [Read more 🡒]