Raiders' Defense Has Bright Spots, Room for Improvement Following Loss to Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense looks to be the real deal. However, as could be seen late in the loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, they still have room for improvement.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle John Jenkins (95) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the first half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders' defense was eager to return to football after a long offseason filled with many doubters from outside the organization.

The Raiders' defense is in their third year under Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham, who returned all of their starters from the end of last season except for one. 

The defense showed flashes of potential numerous times during the offseason in Organized Team Activities and training camp. Still, the Raiders' Week 1 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers was the unit’s first chance to show the world what it was made of. The unit played admirably, keeping the Chargers’ offense in check for most of the game. 

However, there was room for improvement for a Raiders defense that hopes to prove it is one of the best in the National Football League this season. While the Raiders defense held Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to under 150 passing yards on the day, the unit also gave up 176 rushing yards in a game where every possession was needed, especially for a struggling Raiders offense. They also forced zero turnovers on the day, which is unacceptable for a defense that had emphasized turnovers all offseason.

Turnovers are always crucial for a defense and even more critical for a team with a struggling offense.

Overall, the Raiders' defense played well for most of the game, only allowing the Chargers to score nine points over the game’s first three quarters. The Raiders defense gave up 316 yards to an offense that has the potential to be much more explosive than nine points in three quarters and just over 300 yards total. The defense did its part in a game where the Raiders offense did not. 

It must also be noted that although the Raiders defense gave up 13 points in the fourth quarter, after only allowing nine in the three quarters before that, the Raiders' offense failed to score a touchdown after the first quarter and did not score any points at all between the first quarter and halfway through the fourth quarter. This kept the Chargers in a game they likely would have lost had the Raiders offense played better. It also kept the Raiders' defense on the field longer than they should have been.

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