The Las Vegas Raiders fielded a dominant pass-rushing performance in their Week 1 blowout victory over the Miami Dolphins. They sacked Dolphins quarterback Malik Willis on five occasions and routinely flushed him from the pocket. They should be very confident heading into the Week 2 matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers.
New Raiders EDGE Kwity Paye enjoyed a career-best day with two sacks. Pro Football Focus credited Paye and Maxx Crosby with eight pressures apiece. As an overall defense, the Raiders were credited with producing 27 total pressures. PFF gave the defense the third-best pass-rushing grade of any defense (77.6) in Week 1.
Meanwhile they'll face a Chargers offensive line in Week 2 that didn't look much improved from the disaster they were
in 2025. The Chargers were arguably the most disappointing team in Week 1, losing 26-14 to an Arizona Cardinals squad that many expect to contend for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2027 NFL draft.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked three times in Week 1 and was constantly under duress. Chargers guard Cole Strange was especially bad in Week 1, allowing five pressures. Rookie Jake Slaughter also struggled.
The Raiders have the pass-rushing horses to impact Herbert's pocket in Week 2. Crosby, Paye, Malcolm Koonce, and the entire interior should feel confident about the matchup.
This article originally appeared on Raiders Wire: Raiders' pass rush should be able to pin their ears back vs. Chargers
