The Raiders walk into Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers needing a cleaner, sharper performance than the one they got last week, and the offensive projections point to a team that may have to win by spreading the ball around.
Kirk Cousins opened his Raiders tenure with a steady if imperfect line: 21 completions on 30 attempts for 160 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. At 38, he was good enough to keep Las Vegas in the mix, and if Los Angeles shows up looking anything like it did against Arizona, that kind of outing could again be enough for the Silver and Black.
Still, the Chargers are expected to come out with a stronger edge after a rough Week 1, which changes the shape of the game for Cousins. With Brock Bowers listed as doubtful, the passing game should be more distributed, with Cousins working the field among his available targets instead of leaning on one obvious focal point.
The biggest bright spot for Las Vegas last week was Ashton Jeanty. Any concern that his injury would cut into his production faded fast. The 22-year-old back handled 23 carries for 102 yards and also caught all six of his targets for 45 yards and two touchdowns, finishing first on the team in rushing, receiving, and total touchdowns.
That kind of receiving line is tough to duplicate, but the ground production looks sustainable. The Chargers gave up 393 total yards to the Cardinals, including 116 rushing yards, and the defense was described as looking bad without Jesse Minter leading the unit. That opens the door for Jeanty to keep rolling on Sunday.
At tight end, Michael Mayer is positioned to take on a supporting role with Bowers out. His Week 1 numbers were modest - six catches for 32 yards - and his usage should stay in that lane if Cousins keeps working with a relatively low average depth of target. Mayer doesn’t project as a big-play threat here, but he should continue to chip in.
There’s one wrinkle that could nudge his numbers up: if the Chargers’ offense is sharper and forces Las Vegas to throw more, Mayer could see a little extra volume. That possibility becomes more relevant if Ladd McConkey is out.
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Raiders Fans Will All Have The Same Question About This Confession
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Peck said the player wanted to stay anonymous, which only adds to the intrigue for a fan base that will immediately start wondering who it was. The album also leans into bigger themes of addiction, recovery and lived experience, but this Raiders reference gives the project a very specific local tie that is hard to ignore. [Read more 🡒]