How Raiders Offense Looks To Shine Against Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders are a unique team this season, advertising as a program in a rebuild while playing competitive football and seeking a 2-0 start to begin the first year of head coach Klint Kubiak's tenure.

On Sunday, they travel to SoFi Stadium to play the Los Angeles Chargers in both teams' first AFC West showdown of the season. The Chargers' defense struggled against the Arizona Cardinals' passing attack, but that's where the Raiders struggled most. Yet, they want to shine on Kubiak's side of the ball.

The Deep Ball Is Questioned

Cousins Raiders — Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) looks onto the field during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Earlier this week, I wrote about quarterback Kirk Cousins and his assessment of the Raiders' vertical game and lack thereof. The Miami Dolphins capped the passing game well with two split-high defenders, limiting any chance of a downfield explosive and, in many ways, hampering the ceiling for what Kubiak and Cousins wanted to do. They also lack an ample playmaker who can consistently test those split defenders, and their No. 1 wide receiver is Tre Tucker.

However, offensive coordinator Andrew Janocko gave an interesting perspective on Thursday: "A shot called is not always a shot taken."

"We want to take what the defense gives us," Janocko said. "Quarterback's always trying to listen to his feet, go through his progression, operate with intelligent aggression. And then when it's not there, get the ball in playmakers' hands underneath. Let them break tackles and create explosives that way."

It is a smart approach, especially when you're an offense without its star pass-catcher—a tight end like Brock Bowers—who can affect all three levels of the field. The Raiders have playmakers who create after the catch, not necessarily beat press man and win downfield with consistency nine times out of 10.

Controlling Time of Possession

Kubiak Raiders — Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak speaks with the media after the game against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One thing the Raiders can use to their advantage again this week is time of possession, which they won last weekend. The Chargers struggled to keep the ball in their hands last week, and if there's anything Las Vegas's offensive coaching staff will value this week and in many others to come, it is to play keep-away with a veteran quarterback and a stout run game.

"That's one of the things that we always talk about is being able to maximize our possessions, maximize the time that we have the ball in our hands," Janocko said. "I thought our coaches did a great job with the planning purposes, executing the planning, have our guys on point, letting our guys execute so that we were able to stay on the field."

Jeanty Raiders — Sep 13, 2026; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) runs with the ball against the Miami Dolphins at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Brytus-Imagn Images. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Raiders and Kubiak have the personnel to execute this operation efficiently. The deep ball may not be there for the time being, at least until Fernando Mendoza makes his first start at some point, but Las Vegas had a formula and identity they could establish in the meantime.

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