The Chargers’ Week 2 trip into Las Vegas has a few spots that could tilt the whole game, and the biggest one starts right in the middle. The Raiders showed in Week 1 that they can move people on the ground, and they did it with a rebuilt offensive line that now has Tyler Linderbaum in the middle on a record-setting deal.
That sets up a heavyweight fight with Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart, who has quickly become the tone-setter inside for Los Angeles. Tart has been disruptive against the run and has brought plenty of juice to the front, and with veteran Dalvin Tomlinson and second-year tackle Jamaree Caldwell helping firm up the interior, the Chargers will need the same kind of sturdiness again.
That interior battle matters because the Raiders have a back who can carry the load. Ashton Jeanty opened the season with more than 100 rushing yards and 45 receiving yards, and he finished Week 1 with 3.43 yards after contact per attempt.
With Brock Bowers off the field, the offense leans heavily on Jeanty, and that puts even more pressure on Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley and the rest of the second level. Henley, Del’Shawn Phillips, Troy Dye and possibly Marlowe Wax will have to meet Jeanty early and often if Los Angeles wants to keep the run game from getting rolling.
The danger isn’t just on handoffs, either. Jeanty can leak out into the passing game, run actual routes from the backfield and work the middle of the field, which is exactly the kind of area Kirk Cousins is willing to attack.
The other big question for the Chargers is what they get at receiver. Ladd McConkey is dealing with a nasty rib injury from Week 1, and Los Angeles will likely be without him or at least get a limited version of him.
That puts Quentin Johnston back in the spotlight. He’s had solid games against Las Vegas before, and this week he may be asked to do even more.
The Raiders are also missing a starting cornerback, with Darian Porter ruled out on the final injury report because of a foot injury suffered in Week 1.
Johnston’s role won’t stop at catching passes, either. He’ll also be needed as a perimeter blocker in the Chargers’ wide-zone run game to help open lanes for Omarion Hampton.
With the ball in his hands or setting the edge for the ground attack, Johnston has to be a factor. He’s been the top target against the Raiders before, and with Justin Herbert needing reliable options, this matchup could put him right back in the middle of the action.
In Other News...
Chargers Already Have A Worrying Akheem Mesidor Problem
The Chargers went into the season needing answers on both sides of the trenches, and the early returns have not made life easier. Their offensive line is still being tested, and the pass rush has not consistently provided the kind of pressure that can cover for other issues on defense. That backdrop has made rookie Akheem Mesidor a particularly important player to watch, since he was brought in to help fill the role vacated by Odafe Oweh in the rotation.
Through Week 1, Mesidor has not yet delivered the kind of impact the Chargers were hoping for, which only adds to the concern around a defense trying to find its footing. The coaching staff still has time to get more out of him, and the need is obvious if the team wants to avoid digging an early hole. For now, the question is whether Mesidor can settle in quickly enough to become part of the solution rather than another reason for worry. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers Left Guard Problem Is About To Get A Real Answer
Trey Pipkins is set to miss the Chargers upcoming game with a knee injury, and that leaves Kayode Awosika in line to handle left guard for the full contest. The move gives Los Angeles something it has not had there this season: a clean look at one player instead of the back-and-forth rotation the staff had been using.
The split duties drew criticism because it cut into the offensive lines continuity, a particularly important issue for a unit trying to settle in early. Awosika also entered the conversation with some momentum after initial Pro Football Focus data in the season opener showed him grading better than Pipkins, so this weeks snap count should go a long way toward clarifying the Chargers best answer at the spot. [Read more 🡒]
Chargers O-Line Shuffle Is Exposing A Bigger Problem Than Harbaugh Wanted
The Chargers are still trying to sort out the interior of their offensive line, and the picture at left guard has already changed again by Week 2. Jim Harbaugh has moved away from a rotation there, but the answers have not come easily, with Trey Pipkins among the players asked to step in while the group deals with injuries and a lack of settled roles.
The bigger issue is what all of this says about the line as a whole. With center Tyler Biadasz sidelined and rookie Jake Slaughter starting at left guard, the Chargers are leaning on combinations that raise real questions about fit, experience and continuity. It is the sort of early-season instability that can linger long after the lineup card changes. [Read more 🡒]