AFC Game Of The Week
Las Vegas Raiders at Los Angeles Chargers
Raiders: Last season was as tumultuous as it can get. First, the Jon Gruden incident took place. The news came out about some racist emails, then he resigns. Next came the Henry Ruggs incident where he stupidly got drunk, decided to get behind the wheel and because of his actions, someone was unfortunately killed. How does a team get away from that dark cloud hovering over them? That’s where Derek Carr stepped up and became that leader. In other words, he put the team on his shoulders and said, “follow me, I got us”. The Raiders were postseason-bound last year for the first time since 2016. This off-season, they stunned us and acquired a big-time piece to help elevate their offense. I’m referring to Davante Adams. He’s 1 of the 3 best wide receivers and has a history with Derek dating back to their college days. I have no doubts about their offense and what they’ll be able to do when it comes to pushing the ball up the field. It’s the other side of the ball I’m concerned about, the defense. Signing Maxx Crosby was huge for them. He’s their best defensive player by far. Who else can you depend on when he’s neutralized? They’re at the bottom of the division with the Kansas City Chiefs when it comes to the worst defenses in the division. Las Vegas will open the year up against the team they ended last season against.
Chargers: They’re knocking at the door. Everything is there and in place for them. Justin Herbert has already established himself as one of the best quarterbacks in the league. What I enjoy about his game is he’s calm and collected. Justin leads and the rest of the team follows his example. It was one of the most memorable off-seasons in recent memories and these Chargers were active. First, they acquired Khalil Mack from the Chicago Bears. Pairing him up with Joey Bosa is a scary tandem because when you think you have one guy neutralized, you must worry about the next! That’s how much pressure they will bring upon an offensive line, no pun intended. Next, they signed Sebastian Joseph-Day, a familiar face that played under current head coach Brandon Staley back with the Rams when Brandon was their defensive coordinator. I feel the best signing was the pick-up of JC Jackson. He’s a lock-down corner with tremendous instincts to cover anyone in his path. If there was ever a “playoffs or bust” line, I can apply it to them. The moves have been made, the roster looks nice on paper and they feel they can hang with every other team in their division. On Sunday, they open the year up at home against a division rival.
Raiders X-Factor: Josh Jacobs– Not only do I feel he’s the key to this game, but Josh is also a key piece for the Vegas offense. When they feed him the football, he makes an impact. I’m expecting Josh McDaniels to make it a point of emphasis to incorporate his running back into the offense. He’s a strong, yet shifty runner with nice speed and the ability to break away. When healthy, he makes a difference.
Chargers X-Factor: Sebastian Joseph-Day– He’s familiar with Brandon Staley’s defense as he played for him back with the Rams. Sebastian gives 110 percent on each play. He’s active on the interior of that defensive line because he has the quickness to move around and get to where he wants. I like the aspect of run defense he brings to the table and this is exactly why the Chargers added him.
Final Thoughts: These two ended the season last year and it ended up being one of the best games of the year. Now, they kick off the 2022 season! This will also mark Khalil’s debut with the Chargers and he gets to face his former team. The Chargers possess many weapons on the offense and I don’t trust the Vegas defense. Outside of Chandler Jones and Maxx Crosby, who else really stands out to you? The major key for the Raiders will be pressuring Justin. This is a strong Chargers offensive line that the Raiders will have to get through in order to stand a chance in this game. LA will be tasked with attempting to limit Davante Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. Talk about a test for this revamped defense. The Chargers will be looking for revenge on the Raiders after that thrilling game in week 18 where they lost and they were eliminated from playoff contention.
Prediction: Chargers 35, Raiders 27
