The Chargers head into their meeting with the Raiders trying to steady themselves after a rough opening week, but this matchup still comes with a familiar edge: Los Angeles has owned Las Vegas lately.
Jim Harbaugh’s team swept the Silver and Black in each of the past two seasons, and the margin has been decisive every time. The Chargers’ four wins in that stretch have all come by double digits, with a combined score of 107-53.
Last season, Los Angeles beat Las Vegas 20-9 on a Monday night at Allegiant Stadium in Week 2, holding the Raiders to 218 total yards and three field goals. Later, in Week 13 at SoFi Stadium, Kimani Vidal rushed 25 times for 126 yards and a touchdown, and the Chargers poured in 24 second-half points on the way to a 31-14 win.
That history matters, but the current version of the Raiders looks different in one important way: the pass rush is getting home. Rob Leonard is in his fourth season with Las Vegas, but this is his first as defensive coordinator, and the Raiders opened last week with a 27-13 win over the Dolphins. Miami quarterback Malik Willis was sacked five times, with the pressure coming from 2026 free-agent pickup Kwity Paye, who had 2.0 sacks, and Maxx Crosby, who added 1.5.
The Chargers, meanwhile, are coming off an upset loss to the visiting Cardinals in which the offense never found its footing. Los Angeles totaled just 77 yards, though it did score on its opening possession to pull even at 7-7. After that, new coordinator Mike McDaniel’s offense managed only 191 yards and found the end zone once more in the 26-14 defeat.
Justin Herbert has his own recent trend to clean up. Dating back to the start of the 2025 season, he has played 18 games, including the playoff loss to the Patriots, and he has been sacked 63 times while committing 17 turnovers. It’s been a shaky stretch for the seven-year quarterback, and it has come with far too many hits.
On the other side, the Raiders have a young star already carrying a heavy load. Ashton Jeanty, the sixth pick in the 2025 NFL draft, started all 17 games as a rookie and finished with 1,321 yards from scrimmage and 10 touchdowns, split evenly between rushing and receiving. He backed that up last Sunday by running for 102 yards and catching two touchdown passes in the win over the Dolphins, accounting for 147 of Las Vegas’ 290 total yards.
In Other News...
Chargers Already Have A Worrying Akheem Mesidor Problem
The early-season picture for the Chargers has been complicated enough without a quiet start from the rookie they were counting on to help up front. Los Angeles has dealt with concerns along the offensive line and in its pass rush, and Akheem Mesidor was brought in to help fill the kind of rotational role that can keep a defense fresh and disruptive.
Instead, after Week 1, Mesidor has not given the Chargers the impact they were hoping for. His slow start has added to the pressure on a unit that needs more consistent edge production, and the coming stretch now carries a little extra weight as the Chargers look for a stronger response and a better all-around defensive push. [Read more 🡒]
Keenan Allens Latest Off-Field Trouble Just Took A Serious Turn
Keenan Allens latest off-field issue has quickly become a bigger football problem. The veteran wide receiver was arrested on drunk driving charges after a reported blood-alcohol content of .224, and the fallout has already reached the league level. ESPNs Adam Schefter reported that the arrest triggers a minimum three-game suspension from the NFL, with the possibility of a longer ban still on the table.
Allen, who signed a one-year deal with the Colts, has already appeared in one preseason game and is expected to keep practicing and playing while the legal process plays out. A court appearance is scheduled for October 26, leaving the situation in limbo for now and adding another layer of uncertainty to what was supposed to be a fresh start. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Bring A New Problem Into Chargers Week
Las Vegas is heading into its AFC West meeting with a little more uncertainty than usual after elevating tight end Chris Myarick and wide receiver Cody White from the practice squad. The moves line up with the expectation that All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers will not suit up after a recent meniscus procedure, leaving the Raiders to lean more heavily on Michael Mayer as the primary receiving tight end while Myarick adds blocking help.
For the Chargers, it changes the shape of the matchup in a way that matters. Head coach Klint Kubiak already labeled Bowers doubtful, with the final call waiting on a pregame workout, and if he is out, Las Vegas loses one of its most dynamic weapons before a division game that already carries plenty of weight. Beyond the personnel shuffle, it also puts more pressure on how the Raiders structure their passing game and protection plan, which is exactly the sort of wrinkle that can alter a familiar rivalry. [Read more 🡒]