Justin Herbert and the Chargers ran straight into a Raiders defense that is already making a habit of taking the ball away.
In a 26-14 Las Vegas win at SoFi Stadium, Herbert never found rhythm. He went 15-of-27 for 192 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions, three fumbles and a 59 QBR.
Los Angeles dropped to 0-2, and the online reaction to Herbert was brutal, with some fans wondering whether he will ever be more than average. The Chargers also made life harder on themselves with false starts and a Tre’ Harris fumble while in motion, and Herbert had said just days earlier that the Raiders’ defense had no weaknesses.
The damage came from a young group that kept flashing all afternoon. Rookie cornerback Hezekiah Masses, making his first NFL start for the injured Darien Porter, picked Herbert off twice.
The first interception came after David Njoku juggled a pass. Malcolm Koonce added 1.5 sacks, Eric Stokes forced a Herbert fumble near his own goal line, and Maxx Crosby’s pressure led to an end-zone holding call that produced a late safety.
Las Vegas finished with three sacks and nine quarterback hits. Nakobe Dean forced a late Omarion Hampton fumble, and Jeremy Chinn scooped it up and returned it 43 yards to set up the touchdown that pushed the lead to 24-14. The Chargers still managed 127 rushing yards, but the takeaways were the difference.
There’s plenty for the Raiders to like about what this defense is becoming. Masses and fellow rookie Jermod McCoy have given the cornerback room real cushion while Porter is out, and those first-year players are already producing like starters. The defense has five turnovers through two games, which is more than a quarter of its 2025 total.
The concern remains the offense. Ashton Jeanty carried 21 times for 48 yards, and Las Vegas averaged just 2.0 yards per rush. That leaves the defense carrying too much of the load.
Klint Kubiak will keep leaning on this ballhawking unit in New Orleans, because until the run game wakes up, the Raiders will need these turnovers to keep bailing them out.
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The question now is whether Koonce can sustain that level when the opposition gets tougher up front. The Raiders have been searching for help to lighten Crosbys load, and Koonces tape offered reason for optimism, but there is still a noticeable hurdle when he goes against top offensive linemen. Until he starts finishing those rushes more consistently and getting home faster in those matchups, the pass rush remains more of a work in progress than a finished answer. [Read more 🡒]