While they count the same in each team’s overall record, divisional games always have more on the line in the NFL. That’s especially true in the Week 2 AFC West matchup between the Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers, with the Chargers falling to the Arizona Cardinals during the season opener. To preview the game, Silver and Black Pride reached out to our frenemies, Bolts from the Blue, and Michael Peterson was kind enough to answer a few questions about Los Angeles for Raider Nation.
Q: The
Chargers were widely considered contenders heading into the season but were on the wrong side of the biggest Week 1 upset. To put it simply: What happened? Has that changed expectations and/or the optimism surrounding the team?
A: Well, to put it bluntly, everything went wrong in all three phases of the game as the Chargers looked incredibly sloppy and seemingly had no answers for what was supposed to be one of the worst teams in the NFL this season.
New defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary looked out of his depth calling the defense, and that’s wild to think after they were a top-five unit under Jesse Minter from 2024-2025. The Cardinals stressed their zone defense with quick, efficient passes, and Brissett looked incredibly comfortable making the right pass over and over again. He had the answers to the test, seemingly, and the Chargers couldn’t do anything to pressure him quickly enough before the ball was out to Trey McBride or Kendrick Bourne, both of whom could not be stopped.
Offensively, the first drive looked exactly like we expected under Mike McDaniel. Justin Herbert was crisp in finding Ladd McConkey three times before Omarion Hampton broke multiple tackles en route to the end zone to cap it all off. THAT was what everyone was waiting for. But…then it all fell apart.
After the Cards missed a field goal, the Bolts had all the momentum in the world until Hampton ran into the back of wideout Tre’ Harris and the ball popped loose for an Arizona recovery. From there, the entire group looked disjointed, and the interior of the offensive line was once again the prime suspect in killing drive after drive. No run game was had. Herbert and his receivers were never on the same page again, and it looked even worse after McConkey left with an injury.
My expectations have changed, and I believe rightfully so. It’s important not to overreact after just one game, but I’m taking into account just how bad that one game was. If it was that bad against a team like that, then what is the whole operation going to look like when they start facing other AFC powers? How can I be confident that this team will go back to “contender” after that mess on Sunday?
Right now, I’m in “prove it” mode going forward. If the Chargers are a contender, then they’ll play like one and start winning games. If not, then they deserve all the negative coverage that will follow from not living up to the self-imposed expectations.
Q: Building on the question above, Los Angeles seemingly upgraded its offensive coordinator in the offseason, going from Greg Roman to Mike McDaniel. However, the results aren’t there yet, with a 14-point performance in the season opener. What needs to change for McDaniel’s offense to function properly moving forward?
A: Herbert and his receivers need to be on the same page. Plain and simple.
Quentin Johnston showed little effort when targeted and was disconnected from Herbert most of the day. The interior offensive line also needs to improve tremendously, and that also includes NOT platooning the left guard spot when Kayode Awosika was light-years better than Trey Pipkins. There HAS to be some semblance of a run game, and if you can’t perform better than last year’s group that was held together by bubble gum and sticks, then the system needs to be thrown away and rebooted.
Q: From an outsider’s perspective, it kind of feels like this is a “now or never” type of season for Justin Herbert. He’s plenty talented, but there aren’t a lot of quarterbacks who start for one team for as long as he has without any postseason success. Derek Carr is one exception to that, but even Carr was a polarizing player within Raider Nation toward the end of his tenure. So, I’m curious about the perception of Herbert heading into this season?
A: You’re absolutely correct that this does feel like a “now or never” season with Herbert. At this rate, he’s had as many super productive seasons passing the ball as he has had fairly average seasons, and this year with McDaniel was supposed to get him back to chucking the ball around the yard and putting up video game numbers like he did in 2020, 2021, and 2022.
With the way this past Sunday looked, I don’t know if that’s on the table anymore. The problem is, there are so many quarterbacks starting in the league that are worse than Herbert, and even Herbert’s bad games are better than most above-average performances. I don’t think Herbert’s job is in jeopardy, even if they don’t make the playoffs. He normally takes care of what he can control, and that’s why there is such a force supporting him despite the lack of postseason success.
Overall, I thought he did everything he could against the Cardinals until he threw that interception. It made no sense. It was so bad that I don’t think anyone can get behind the decision. It was a small receiver being double-covered, and Herbert did not have to force the throw at all. There was plenty of time, and it wasn’t third or fourth down. It seriously looked like another quarterback was on the field in that moment because it was so uncharacteristic of him.
Right now, Herbert has the majority of the fan base behind him. If more games like Sunday continue to stack up, then I have to acknowledge that support may fade faster than expected.
Q: New defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary has taken over for Jesse Minter in Los Angeles, but O’Leary had a rough debut last week against the Cardinals. The Chargers gave up 393 yards, which would have been the second-most they surrendered last season. Do you think that was more of a scheme or personnel issue, or some combination of the two? Who needs to step up moving forward?
A: It truly looked like O’Leary was not prepared for the task. Brissett looked more than ready to handle every ounce of pressure the Chargers sent on Sunday, and it was beyond frustrating to see over and over again. It was like I was watching in slow motion as a defender would sprint out of his hole to chase a pass-catcher, only for a Cardinal to immediately replace him and catch a short pass with space to run.
All game long it was this way. And not to mention how utterly unstoppable Trey McBride looked. I get it, he’s really good and probably the league’s best tight end, but the Chargers looked like little kids trying to stop him. It seriously reminded me of the way Travis Kelce tore us up in his prime.
O’Leary may honestly just need to settle his unit down and give it another go. It was, after all, his first NFL game calling a defense. I hope he just needs to shake it now that he’s gotten his feet wet.
Q: On a similar note, the Chargers seemingly had no answer for Cardinals tight end Trey McBride, who had nine catches for 95 yards and a touchdown last week. If he’s healthy, I’d imagine Klint Kubiak is going to try to mimic Arizona’s game plan with Brock Bowers. So, how did McBride have success in Los Angeles last week?
A: McBride was used right out of the gate against the Cardinals as he began the game with a big catch up the seam. From there, Arizona utilized him in a ton of triangle reads where he was either the bait to move defenders or as the primary receiver in the route concept. When the defense was stuck on McBride, Kendrick Bourne or Michael Wilson got to benefit. When Bourne or Wilson started slicing them up, Brissett went back to targeting McBride. Heck, on the only pass Brissett threw to McBride near the line of scrimmage, he was first contacted at the line and still rumbled for around 10 yards to move the chains. He was seriously unstoppable, and it bothers me what Bowers could end up doing if he is available this week.
