The Las Vegas Raiders' comeback effort against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 1 at SoFi Stadium fell short. Las Vegas simply couldn't overcome the Chargers' sizable lead, falling to 0-1 on the season.
The Josh McDaniels era did not begin as the Raiders supporters had wanted. The Raiders battled AFC West rivals Los Angeles Chargers, but blunders denied them the opportunity to start 1-0.
Ultimately, the negatives outweighed the positives in the opener for Las Vegas, leading to the season-opening loss. Now let's look at the three Raiders most responsible for their Week 1 loss vs. the Chargers.
— Las Vegas Raiders (@Raiders) September 11, 2022
3. Dave Ziegler
It is completely reasonable to criticize Raiders general manager Dave Ziegler for the insufficiency of reinforcements to Las Vegas' offensive line throughout the summer. Recall that they lost a starting-caliber guard in Denzelle Good to retirement. Despite that, the Raiders did not really do anything except using a third-round pick on Dylan Parham and a seventh-round pick on Thayer Munford Jr.
Consequently, the Raiders' offensive line proved to be just as troublesome as it had been in 2021.
The Chargers pass rush, led by offseason signing and former Raider Khalil Mack, dominated the Raiders line. QB Derek Carr was, in fact, sacked five times and was under constant pressure. This obviously impacted his accuracy and decision-making.
This was a bona fide shootout, and the Raiders offensive line will be a concern if Carr engages in more QB battles in the future. It would be prudent for Las Vegas to bolster their offensive line as soon as possible.
2. Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones
We're cheating a bit by naming two guys here but just bear with us.
The Raiders defense also struggled. They had few answers for Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert. The third-year quarterback completed 26 of 34 throws for 279 yards and three touchdowns while throwing three interceptions. Far too frequently, he was permitted to operate from a clean pocket.
Perhaps more alarming is the Raiders' inability to put pressure on Herbert. Chandler Jones' offseason addition was meant to provide Las Vegas with one of the league's greatest pass-rushing tandems. Jones and Maxx Crosby were still a formidable combo, although Herbert seldom faced intense pressure.
Herbert was not sacked and did not record a single turnover. The pass rush and coverage must improve against the Arizona Cardinals next week if the Raiders are to avoid a 0-2 start.
1. Derek Carr
Derek Carr had one of the most up-and-down performances of his career as a Raiders quarterback. He finished with 295 yards and two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions. The Chargers' new-look defense deserves credit, but it was also most likely the result of Las Vegas' shift to a new offense in 2022.
Carr's first interception occurred deep in Raiders territory and resulted in a touchdown for the Chargers. One may argue that that was the difference in a five-point defeat. Carr also fumbled twice, but neither time did Las Vegas lose control.
Carr threw his second interception with 13:20 remaining in the fourth quarter as he attempted to locate wide receiver Davante Adams in the endzone. However, the pass was underthrown and ended up in the clutches of a Chargers defender.
Carr's third interception occurred three minutes later when a throw intended for wide receiver Hunter Renfrow was intercepted by an opposition uniform.
It is worth noting that all three interceptions were from passes that were underthrown to the intended target.
Needless to say, Carr needs to be less prone to turnovers if he and the Raiders will find some measure of success in 2022.
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