The Chargers went into Las Vegas and held Raiders quarterback Geno Smih to less than 200 passing yards, picked him off three times, and overall kept their opponent out of the end zone all night long. The victory over the Raiders also pushed the Chargers to 2-0 on the season and gave them sole possession of the AFC West.
With a date at home against the 1-1 Broncos in Week Three, the Chargers have the chance to begin the year 3-0 with all their wins coming against AFC West opponents. That’d be one heck
of a start to the year, especially through one of the more difficult stretches on the entire schedule.
After getting to 2-0, the Chargers unsurprisingly saw some upward movement in this week’s power rankings. Let’s go ahead and take a look to see just how high they climbed!
The Athletic – #4
“When Roman was the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive coordinator from 2019 to 2022, his team led the NFL in rush percentage (51.1). When he was the offensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers from 2011 to 2014, his team was second in the league in rush percentage (50). After Monday night’s win, the Chargers are 17th in rush percentage (42.1), according to TruMedia. Until midway through the fourth quarter, when the Chargers simply wanted to drain the clock, Justin Herbert had thrown 25 passes against just 17 run plays. It’s working. This team looks like a contender.” – Josh Kendall
Yahoo Sports – #6
“The only issue for the Chargers so far has been the absolute lack of a running game. It might not matter much if Justin Herbert continues to play at an MVP level. Being two games ahead of the Kansas City Chiefs already is a dream start for LA.” – Frank Schwab
Sports Illustrated – #6
“If there’s one coach who could possibly blow the lid off this Tom Brady conflict of interest scandal, it’s hopefully THIS GUY.” – Conor Orr
USA Today – #6
“They’re set up to become the third team since the league expanded to 32 teams in 2002 to open their season with a 3-0 record that includes a sweep of all three of their divisional foes.” – Nate Davis
CBS Sports – #7
“It’s time to start talking about their defense. Coordinator Jesse Minter has them playing great football.” – Pete Prisco
ESPN – #7
“Herbert began last season with uncharacteristically low passing numbers in his first season with Jim Harbaugh. It wasn’t until Week 6 that he had a game with at least 200 passing yards. Some of his slow start can be attributed to the various injuries he played through. But he threw four interceptions in the Chargers’ playoff loss to the Texans, more than he had during the entire regular season. In Week 1, Herbert had one of the best games of his career against the Chiefs, throwing for 318 yards and three touchdowns, and he threw two more TD passes in Week 2 against the Raiders. With an upgraded offense, he looks poised for a dominant year.” -Kris Rhim
The Ringer – #7
“I was convinced last season that Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh calls run plays only because he wants defenses to suffer, not because the plays work. This year, it seems like he has a better grasp on what Justin Herbert is capable of and has put full trust in his QB, which has led to the Chargers’ successful start to the season.”
“Los Angeles has one of the league’s most efficient early-down offenses, and the team doesn’t feel as stuck in the mud as it did throughout last season. I may have been wrong about the Chargers this preseason, because they sure as hell are playing like contenders right now.” – Diante Lee
NFL.com – #9
“The Chargers’ defense absolutely clamped down on Geno Smith and the Raiders, picking off the veteran quarterback three times. The first came on the first snap, gifting Los Angeles a field goal; the last came in the red zone, with Las Vegas looking to cut the deficit to one score. L.A.’s dominant defensive performance came in spite of Khalil Mack‘s elbow injury, which occurred in the first quarter. Credit the Chargers for keeping the pass rush going without Mack, but losing him for any extended stretch would hurt. The offense went through fits and starts. The run game remains a work in progress, and rookie Omarion Hampton’s late fumble could affect his role. Justin Herbert played well (outside of a terrible near-pick late), and Quentin Johnston’s 60-yard touchdown was the tipping point early. I question Jim Harbaugh’s decision to go for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter, but his defense bailed him out. This was no work of art, but if you watched more than one Bolts game last season, this can’t come as a shocker.” – Eric Edholm
