Raiders' Pass Rush Struggles to Get Home vs. Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders did not get to Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert very often in their Week 1 loss.

Sep 8, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) looks to pass in the first half against the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders struggled in many facets of the game in their Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. 

The Raiders dropped the game 22-10 and could not capitalize on their many offensive opportunities. It was not the way Coach Antonio Pierce wanted to start the season. 

One area the Raiders struggled was rushing the passer, which is surprising, considering that is one of their biggest strengths. 

Defensive end Maxx Crosby was the only Raider credited with a sack, although a few Raiders got home on that play. Outside of that, however, Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert was relatively untouched. 

The Raiders are not going to win many games if their excellent pass rush does not get home. Crosby cannot be the only player consistently creating pressure off the edge. 

This was a major reason the Raiders brought in defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on such a lucrative contract. Wilkins knows how to push the pocket in the middle, but he did not do much of that today. Wilkins was second on the team in tackles but had just five.

Justin Herbert was not particularly sharp, but he still had enough time to make things happen and move the chains. The Raiders did not do enough to make him uncomfortable throughout the game, leading to the Chargers capitalizing on their opportunities. 

The Raiders were without Malcolm Koonce, who is dealing with a knee injury and is now on the Reserve/Injured list. Koonce’s absence greatly hurts the Raiders after his breakout season in 2023, which inspired the team to believe he was the pass-rushing answer across from Crosby. 

With Koonce’s injury, the Raiders called on Tyree Wilson and Janarius Robinson to fill that role. Wilson went out early with an injury of his own, while Robinson and Charles Snowden were not very productive when they were on the field. 

The Raiders had five total quarterback hits, but it was not enough to deter Herbert. The Chargers’ excellent tackle duo, Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt, held up well against Las Vegas. 

The Raiders will face the Baltimore Ravens next week, whose offensive line struggled in their first game of the season. Crosby and the Raiders must take advantage of that and get after Lamar Jackson, or they could be in a lot of trouble.

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