Why the Raiders Must Be on High Alert Monday Night

The Las Vegas Raiders are coming off an exciting Week 1 win. However, they cannot celebrate long, as Week 2 pits them against a Los Angeles Chargers team that swept them last season. Los Angeles looked solid in Week 1, as they beat the Kansas City Chiefs.

Raiders Must Be Prepared

The Raiders aim to go 2-0 fo the first time since 2021. To do so, they must find a way to slow down Justin Herbert, one of the best quarterbacks in the National Football League. Last week against the Chiefs, Herbert threw for over 300 yards and finished with a nearly a 132 rating.

Thursday before practice, Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll noted how special of a player Herbert is. Carroll knows he and the Raiders' defense must properly prepare for anything Herbert may throw at them on Monday.

"Yeah, he is such a factor that they've really played to him. They give him the opportunity in a lot of situations, to not just throw the football, but to do his RPOs and get out of the pocket and take off scrambling. There was a play late in the game when they had a chance to ice it in a four-minute situation, and he takes off, it's like a third-and-13 or something like that. He takes off and makes like 20, and it looked like they knew exactly what they were trying to do,” Carroll said.

“It was a drop-back pass, but he took off. And, I mean, he's got great skills to really make it difficult on the defense. A normal play can be played defended, rushed well, and all that. And then something else happens, whether he's scrambling to throw it or scramble to run it, and that factor is the most difficult factor in football to control, and so that's why they've been successful, and they have a great chance to continue that."

The Raiders and Chargers usually make for competitive games. They are sure to do so again this season with Carroll at the helm and an improved roster. Week 1 proved the Raiders have improved, but Week 2 may give a better idea of just how much they have improved.

After winning on the road in Week 1, the Raiders have much more to gain in Week 2 than they have to lose.

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