Raiders Should Not Underestimate Rebuilding Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers are franchises in different directions, but this game should be a tough one.

Oct 1, 2023; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) is sacked by Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Las Vegas Raiders begin their season today, taking on their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Chargers. 

These two teams enter the 2024 season with two very different season outlooks. 

The Chargers are beginning a new era under Coach Jim Harbaugh, who has won at every level of football he has coached. Los Angeles is hoping he can bring them back to being a competitive football team. 

However, outside of having a star quarterback, the Chargers’ roster is not ready to compete in the near future. They have some aging players, and when you have players like that on your team, you should be competing for postseason play. 

But that is not likely the case for this Chargers team. As Harbaugh takes over, the roster could be in for a rebuild.

However, that does not mean the Raiders should overlook this Chargers team. They may not have the best roster, but they will be a tough test for Coach Antonio Pierce. 

Harbaugh will get the best play possible out of this roster. He is a smart coach, and he will be able to devise a good game plan for Pierce and the Raiders. 

Not only that, but Justin Herbert is still on the team. Despite a less-than-desirable group of pass catchers, Herbert is still an excellent quarterback who can make big plays. The Raiders’ defense must not underestimate what Herbert can do. 

This Chargers offensive line will not be easy for these Raiders’ pass rushers, either. Rashawn Slater is one of the best offensive tackles in the league when he is healthy. To bolster that group, the Chargers selected Notre Dame star Joe Alt with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

The Raiders will be without Malcolm Koonce in this game, which is a major blow to their defensive line and pass-rushing plans. They will lean on Tyree Wilson with Janarius Robinson rotating in, which could prove tough against a talented crop of tackles. 

We will once again see a competitive match-up between the Raiders and Chargers. Pierce and his squad should expect nothing less, even if the Chargers’ roster is not ready to be a playoff team yet.

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