To put it in one sentence: It’s not just another day for the Los Angeles Chargers; it’s TODAY. Yes, Jim Harbaugh’s unique verbal style has returned to the West Coast. He and the one-field goal favorite Chargers are looking to finally capitalize on the talent of quarterback Justin Herbert and are relying on youth to do it.
The franchise’s best receiver, Keenan Allen, is gone, as are veteran tight end Gerald Everett and dual-threat back Austin Ekeler. The three accounted for 48 percent of LA’s passes last season, with Allen catching 150 passes himself.
Joshua Palmer (age 24) and Quentin Johnson (age 22) are now the leading wideouts, with new rookie slot man Ladd McConkey the next best option. Ekeler will be replaced by the oft-injured duo of Gus Edwards and JK Dobbins, neither of whom is known for their ability as pass receivers.
All-American lineman Joe Alt is now on Herbert’s protection team, which should give him more time to develop his routes, but one wonders if the Bolts would have been better served by taking Malik Nabers or Rome Odunze at this point in the draft.
Still, with Khalil Mack, Joey Bosa and other veterans on defense and Harbaugh’s track record in the NFL, the Chargers enter their opener with first-day-of-school energy.
The situation is different for the Raiders, who enter the season after finishing the previous season with a record of .500 or worse for the 19th time in 21 years and already have their 13th new head coach (Antonio Pierce) on board during that time.
Veteran quarterback Gardner Minshew had to compete against unknown Aidan O’Connell to earn the starting job, and his best target is unlikely to hold Las Vegas for much longer. Davante Adams, who missed out on his first Pro Bowl nomination in six seasons after joining the Raiders, is looking for a way out of Dodge in hopes of salvaging the last few years of his prime with a better offense. The Raiders – who have no quarterback of the future, lost rusher Josh Jacobs in the offseason and whose only bright spot is defensive end Maxx Crosby – are not fertile ground for his latest run.
With new general manager Tom Telesco, upcoming All-American tight end Brock Bowers, and all of their draft picks for the next three years, the odds are slim that they’ll pass up the loot Adams would bring ahead of a rebuild. It looks like he’ll be in the opener, but it’s hard to bet on an upset with the Raiders treading water and the Chargers hoping for a bounce-back.
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Odds for Las Vegas Raiders vs Los Angeles Chargers
How to watch Raiders vs. Chargers
- Venue: SoFi Stadium – Inglewood, California.
- Time: 4:05 p.m. ET, Sunday
- TV: CBS
- Streaming: Watch live on Fubo (Save $30)
Expert tips for Raiders vs. Chargers
Read more about NFL Week 1
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(Photo by Jim Harbaugh: Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)
