Raiders Gashed on Ground by Chargers in Opening Loss

The Las Vegas Raiders struggled to stop the run against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) breaks away from Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Divine Deablo (5) and runs for a touchdown in the second half at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders’ first game of the season did not go as planned, as they fell to the Los Angeles Chargers, 22-10. 

The Raiders’ defense did a nice job keeping them in the game for the most part. The Chargers never ran away with the game, and Las Vegas had chances to win. 

However, one element of the Raiders’ defense that struggled was their performance in stopping the run. 

While it was solid in the first half, the wheels fell off on the Raiders’s run defense in the second half. 

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and Offensive Coordinator Greg Roman have worked together in the past, orchestrating excellent run games. The Chargers have not been a good running team in the past, but that could change with these two working on that side of the ball. 

The Raiders will see the Chargers again at the end of the season, so they will need to tighten up their run defense by then because this Chargers’ rushing attack will only get better. 

The Chargers rushed for just 31 yards in the first half. They finished the game with 176 rushing yards on 6.5 yards per carry. Their ability to get their run game going in the second half was the difference in the game. 

J.K. Dobbins led the way for the Chargers with 135 yards on 10 carries. He had two big runs in the game, including a 46-yard run that set up a field goal that gave Los Angeles the lead. He scored a 12-yard touchdown in the third quarter, putting the Chargers up 16-7. 

In the fourth quarter, Dobbins took a 61-yard run down to the Raiders’ 14-yard line, leading to a Ladd McConkey touchdown that all but sealed the deal for the Chargers. 

The Raiders must be better defending the run going forward this season or they will be in trouble. They are relying on their defense to keep them in games this year, and they cannot do that if they are not setting the tone in the trenches. 

The Raiders face the Baltimore Ravens next week, who boast one of the top rushing attacks in the NFL, with Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry leading the way. They need to bounce back next week, or things will look disastrous.

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