Before the Las Vegas Raiders face the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 2, the injury list is already shaping the matchup. Brock Bowers could be out again after undergoing a meniscus trim last week, and the Raiders also have to replace cornerback Darien Porter on the back end. The Chargers, meanwhile, will be missing a starter in their secondary as well.
With those pieces in flux, this game sets up as a chance for a few young Raiders to make their mark. Here are three predictions for Sunday in Los Angeles.
Tre Tucker finishes as the Raiders’ top receiver
Tre Tucker didn’t do much in the opener, catching two of four targets for 27 yards. The Raiders leaned on the run game for most of the day, and Ashton Jeanty was the centerpiece there with 102 rushing yards. Jeanty also led the team in receiving with 45 yards.
This week could open the door for more shots downfield, especially with Chargers free safety Elijah Molden out. That said, Kirk Cousins has to make those opportunities count.
Per Pro Football Focus, Cousins completed just one of seven throws traveling 10 or more yards downfield in Week 1, finishing those attempts for 21 yards and two interceptions. If the Chargers crowd the box to slow Jeanty and dare the Raiders to attack deep, the offense has to respond.
Tucker is built for that kind of role. As a rookie, he averaged 17.3 yards per catch with an aDOT of 18.5 yards.
He knows how to find space on vertical routes. The question is whether Cousins can put the ball where Tucker can get it.
Tonka Hemingway gets to the quarterback for the first time this season
Maxx Crosby and Kwity Paye were disruptive in the opener against the Miami Dolphins, combining for 14 pressures and 3.5 sacks. But Sunday brings a tougher edge matchup with Pro Bowl-level tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt.
That makes the interior the better place for the Raiders to hunt. In the Chargers’ Week 1 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, right guard Cole Strange gave up five pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
Tonka Hemingway and Jonah Laulu should have chances to work against that weakness, especially on passing downs. Both are young defensive tackles who had four sacks apiece last season.
Hemingway played 32 defensive snaps in Week 1, while Laulu was on the field for 19. With a larger role coming, Hemingway has the best path to make the Chargers pay inside. After a strong offseason, he could be starting to build a case as the Raiders’ top interior pass rusher.
Hezekiah Masses leads the team in pass breakups
Porter’s foot injury leaves the Raiders looking for help at corner, and the rookie likely to get the first shot is Hezekiah Masses. The fifth-round pick battled Porter for a starting role during training camp. Jermod McCoy, a fourth-rounder coming off a torn ACL, worked mostly with the second-team defense.
Masses should be the first man up, and that means the Chargers may test him early. He already showed something in Week 1, when he played 10 defensive snaps and broke up the first pass thrown his way. McCoy was active, but he didn’t see the field on defense or special teams.
If Masses ends up handling a heavy workload in his first NFL start, he has a real chance to lead the Raiders in pass breakups. It would be an even bigger statement if he can do that while helping slow down Quentin Johnston, who has done well against the Raiders’ defense in recent matchups.
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 Offense Has One Clear Way To Challenge The Chargers
With first-year coach Klint Kubiak trying to settle the offense into something sustainable, the Raiders head into their AFC West meeting with the Chargers leaning into a simple idea: take what the defense gives and keep the ball moving. Offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko has made it clear that the plan is built around controlling time of possession, a sensible approach for a group that is still searching for consistency in the passing game and does not have a deep threat it can lean on right now.
So the Raiders are likely to keep the emphasis on the run game and on playmakers who can do damage after the catch, hoping that style can stress a Chargers defense in a different way. There is also the added intrigue of whether Fernando Mendoza might eventually be in line to start, but for now Las Vegas is preparing to win by staying patient, avoiding wasted possessions and forcing the game to be played on its terms. [Read more 🡒]