The Raiders are heading into Week 2 with more good news than bad on the injury front, even if a few names still need watching before Sunday’s matchup with the Chargers.
Las Vegas’ final injury report was short, with only three players appearing on it from Wednesday through Friday. Running back Ashton Jeanty was listed but took part in practice every day this week, so he’s set to play after doing the same in Week 1. The one clear absence on the roster was Darien Porter, who did not practice all week and will not be available Sunday.
Quarterback Aidan O’Connell also missed Thursday and Friday for personal reasons, but as the Raiders’ third quarterback, his absence won’t affect the game plan against Los Angeles. The bigger concern is how the rest of the roster shapes up around him, and that picture looks steadier by the day.
Porter’s absence matters for Las Vegas’ defense, but the Chargers may be dealing with a missing piece of their own. Los Angeles wide receiver Ladd McConkey also appears likely to sit out Sunday, which softens the impact of Porter being unavailable. Given that setup, the Raiders can afford to be cautious with a player they view as important long term.
The more significant development came Friday, when Brock Bowers returned to practice after sitting out Wednesday and Thursday. Bowers missed Week 1 while recovering from a knee procedure before the season, and his status for Sunday is still up in the air. He was listed as doubtful, leaving him as a game-time decision.
Even with Bowers trending uncertain, the Raiders sound comfortable with the tight end group they have in place. Michael Mayer and Ian Thomas are expected to handle the load again if needed, and offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko praised the way that room is settling in.
"I think everybody has an evolving role each week, especially as we all get into this, whether it's our first year together or we're together for a long time. Everybody's evolving [from] Week 1, whether it's Michael [Mayer], whether it's different guys we ask to do different jobs,” Janocko said before practice on Thursday.
“I thought Mike [Mayer] did a nice job in what we asked him to do, took advantage of his opportunities, made some plays for us. We look forward to the offense as a whole, just keep evolving, keep creating plays."
So the setup for Sunday is fairly straightforward: Porter is out, Bowers is doubtful, O’Connell’s availability remains tied to a family matter, and Jeanty is good to go. Outside of that, Las Vegas is traveling to Los Angeles in relatively healthy shape.
That matters because the Raiders are trying to keep building on the progress they showed in Week 1. If Bowers sits again, the offense will need to keep leaning on the pieces that already handled the job once. On defense, Hezekiah Masses and the rest of the secondary could get another valuable chance to grow.
And for a team that has had trouble getting AFC West wins in recent years, this is the kind of game that can set a better tone. A road win over the Chargers would do more than count in the standings. It would show the Raiders are turning lessons from preseason and Week 1 into something real.
In Other News...
Raiders Could Catch Chargers At The Perfect Time In Week 2
The Raiders head into Week 2 with a chance to take advantage of a Chargers team still trying to clean up a rough opener. Los Angeles is coming off a loss to Arizona, and Jim Harbaugh has already pointed to preseason mistakes that spilled into Week 1 as part of the problem. Add in questions around wide receiver Ladd McConkeys injury, and the Chargers may have to lean more heavily on the run game and their tight ends to keep the offense moving.
For Las Vegas, that creates a useful early-season test on the road. The Chargers are also dealing with special teams issues from last week and a defense that gave up too many first downs, so there are a few areas the Raiders can pressure if they stay sharp. It is still only September, but this is the kind of spot where one team can look unsettled while the other tries to make a statement before the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]
Derwin James Could Create A Bigger Raiders Problem In Week 2
The Chargers are already managing a banged-up offense heading into Week 2 against the Raiders, and Brock Bowers likely absence would only change the look of that matchup further. If the tight end sits again, Los Angeles can lean more on Derwin James Jr. to roam instead of worrying about matching up with one of the leagues most dangerous young pass catchers, which is a problem for Las Vegas given how disruptive James can be when hes free to attack.
James has long been one of the Chargers most versatile defenders, and the Raiders have seen firsthand how quickly he can shape a game from different spots on the field. Without Bowers demanding attention, James may have a clearer path to influence the run game, the back end and the quarterbacks comfort level all at once, which makes this a matchup Las Vegas has to account for even before the opening kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Enter AFC West With One Big Concern Around Kirk Cousins
Kirk Cousins got his first look in a Raiders uniform last weekend, and while the debut brought 160 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions, it also showed why Las Vegas still has a little work to do before the AFC West games start to tighten up. The Raiders are heading into their division opener against the Chargers with a clearer sense of where the offense can function and where it still needs answers, especially as the schedule shifts to more familiar, more demanding opponents.
Cousins and head coach Klint Kubiak both pointed to the same issue after the game: the deep-ball passing game has not fully come together yet. Defensive looks are cutting into the teams ability to generate explosive plays downfield, and against a division rival like the Chargers, that concern hangs over everything else the Raiders are trying to build on offense. [Read more 🡒]