Intensity dialed up in Raiders-Chargers rivalry with early control of division on the line

Las Vegas Raiders center Jackson Powers-Johnson (58) holds up Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) after Tucker scored a touchdown against the New England Patriots during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025, in Foxborough, Mass. Photo by: Robert F. Bukaty / Associated Press

Las Vegas hasn’t sat alone in first place of the AFC West at any point since Week 1 of the 2023 season. That will change late tonight if the Raiders can upset the Los Angeles Chargers in their home opener that serves as the second part of a Monday night doubleheader.

Las Vegas beat Denver 17-16 to open the season two years ago but has since gone only 2-9 against divisional opponents, including 0-6 a year ago. The Raiders consider all of their AFC West opponents rivals, but there’s typically been more animus toward the Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs than the Chargers. That might be changing with coach Pete Carroll now in charge.

Carroll, who turns 74 years old today, adds an extra wrinkle to the rivalry, given his longstanding history with Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh. The pair squared off both as college coaches from 2007-2009, while Harbaugh headed Stanford and Carroll led USC, and in the NFL when the former was with the San Francisco 49ers against the latter’s Seattle Seahawks. They’ve gone 6-6 against each other over the past 18 years.

Both teams come in on a high this time around, with the Chargers having knocked off the Chiefs 27-21 in Week 1 in Sao Paulo, Brazil, while the Raiders went on the road to beat the Patriots 20-13.        

Favorable matchup: Raiders’ defensive line vs. Chargers’ offensive line

Raiders star edge rusher Maxx Crosby should primarily line up against Chargers veteran right tackle Trey Pipkins. That should be to major advantage for the Raiders, considering the Chargers went into training camp hoping to use Pipkins as a depth piece on their offensive line, not a starter. That changed when Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater suffered a season-ending knee injury. Los Angeles opted to move 2024 first-round pick Joe Alt to the left side and slide Pipkins into a starting role on the right. The unit impressed in Week 1 against the Chiefs, but it was just one game, and more evidence is needed to prove the offensive line is up to Harbaugh’s usual top-of-the-league standards. The Chargers also have a new starter at right guard in free agent pickup Mekhi Becton. “It is a newer group … and they’ll get way better, so hopefully it takes them a couple weeks,” Carroll joked. The Raiders’ defensive line has slightly more continuity, and it showed in Week 1, with holdovers Crosby, Malcolm Koonce, Tyree Wilson and Jonah Laulu all registering a sack apiece.

Problematic matchup: Chargers’ receiving corps vs. Raiders’ secondary

Some pundits opine that the Chargers haven’t done enough to surround sixth-year quarterback Justin Herbert with enough receiving talent in the past. That criticism may fade this season. The Chargers now look well-stocked with weapons for Herbert to target. If Week 1 was any indication, 2023 first-round pick Quentin Johnston has taken another leap to a bona fide No. 1 outside receiver. The TCU graduate, who some called a bust after his rookie season, had five catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns against the Chiefs. The Chargers already have one of the best slot receivers in the NFL in second-year standout Ladd McConkey, who had 82 catches for 1,149 and seven touchdowns as a rookie. They also brought back former No. 1 receiver Keenan Allen after he spent a one-off season with the Chicago Bears, and used a second-round pick this year on big-play Ole Miss product Tre Harris. That’s a lot of talent for a green Las Vegas secondary to match up against. The unit, led by starting cornerbacks Erik Stokes and Kyu Blu Kelly, played well against the New England Patriots but gets a step up in competition this week.   

Gamebreaker: Linebacker Jamal Adams

The Raiders signed the former All-Pro safety and moved him to linebacker as a flier with no guarantees he’d even make the 53-man roster. But Adams has shown he can still compete under his longtime coach Carroll, who once traded a package that included two first-round picks for him in Seattle. The 29-year-old was the top-graded player on the Raiders’ defense by Pro Football Focus in Week 1. He played only 25 snaps, but that was by design — if not a little more than anticipated. The Raiders planned to use Adams in more of a rotational role, but all the linebackers had to pick up extra snaps after leader Elandon Roberts went down with an elbow injury in the first quarter. Carroll said Roberts is pushing to return against the Chargers, but it feels like a long shot. So, all the linebackers will need to be sharp and take on extra responsibility again. Adams stands out as a versatile player who can do it all if he’s truly rediscovered his earlier-career form. Against the Patriots, he recorded two quarterback pressures and allowed only one reception for five yards in coverage.   

Big Number: 1,456

That’s how many days had passed since a Raiders quarterback had thrown for 360 yards or more in a victory before Geno Smith’s big silver-and-black debut. Smith wound up with 362 yards, second-most in the NFL’s Week 1 behind reigning MVP Josh Allen’s 394 yards, and a touchdown on 24-for-34 passing. Jarrett Stidham threw for 365 yards in the penultimate game of the 2022 season against the 49ers, but the Raiders played from behind for a large portion of the contest and went to overtime in the eventual loss. No one had led the Raiders to victory while hitting the benchmark since Sept. 13 2021, during the first game at Allegiant Stadium with fans. Derek Carr accounted for 435 yards through the air that Monday night in an overtime win against the Baltimore Ravens. The offseason trade with the Seahawks for Smith promised to bring the Raiders their best quarterback play since at least Carr’s prime and, through one game, the 13-year NFL veteran has lived up to the expectation.    

Best Bet (0-1): Michael Mayer over 24.5 receiving yards

The third-year tight end out of Notre Dame had four catches for 38 yards against the Patriots, his second-best statistical line dating back to the start of last season, and it wasn’t a fluke. Mayer figures to have more opportunities in the Raiders’ offense this year even when superstar tight end Brock Bowers is playing on the other side of him. There’s no guarantee he'll have that competition for the ball tonight, though. Bowers is nursing a knee injury suffered late in the Patriots game. Mayer proposition wagers weren’t at many sports books at publication time, but he’s worth betting on at any reasonable price in almost any market — receptions, receiving yards, anytime touchdown, etc.