Gotta win these one-on-one battles to start the season on the right foot
The regular season is finally here as the Las Vegas Raiders head to Southern California to take on the Los Angeles Chargers. While it’s important for every team to get off to a fast start and win in Week 1, adding the extra element of the contest being a divisional game heightens the stakes.
The Raiders and Chargers split the series last year with each team winning at home, and Las Vegas hasn’t won in Los Angeles since 2020. Also, both teams are kicking off new eras as Antonio Pierce begins his first full season as the Silver and Black’s head coach and Jim Harbaugh returns to the NFL after spending nearly a decade at Michigan.
So, plenty is riding on the line during the season opener and whichever team wins the three key matchups below will likely have the upper hand on the scoreboard.
Thayer Munford Jr. vs Khalil Mack
One of the biggest differences between Las Vegas’ win and loss against the Chargers last season was how the offensive line contained Mack. In the first game, he was almost unblockable with nine pressures, including six sacks, and an 81.4 run defense grade from Pro Football Focus.
Granted, the former Raider wasn’t exactly quiet in the second matchup with five pressures and a 71.1 run defense grade, but he was at least kept in check with no sacks and only a couple of impact tackles. Especially with Joey Bosa already missing time during training camp due to an injury and likely being on pitch count to begin the season, containing Mack will be crucial for the Raiders to have success offensively on Sunday.
Mack flips back and forth between the left and right sides of the line, but expect the Chargers’ game plan to at least begin the game by having him test Munford.
The third-year pro is entering his first season as a full-time starter and would undoubtedly like to make a strong statement by shutting down one of the best edge defenders in the league. In 2023, he didn’t get much playing time in the first matchup in L.A.—just eight snaps—but did fill in at left tackle for an injured Kolton Miller in the second.
Munford had success as a run blocker in that contest, posting a 73.4 PFF run-blocking grade. However, he had some issues in pass protection with three pressures surrendered and a mark of 49.7.
Cleaning up the latter will be important this time around since Mack is still capable of being a game-wrecker as the Raiders found out last season.
Davante Adams vs. Asante Samuel Jr.
Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images
Adams has terrorized the Chargers throughout his career, racking up 41 catches for 535 yards and four touchdowns in five games (one with Green Bay), via StatMuse. However, he didn’t have much success when guarded by Samuel last season with five catches on eight targets for just 35 yards, per PFF.
While Samuel doesn’t get as much attention as other young cornerbacks around the NFL, he’s one of the up-and-comers at the position and his ball skills are the primary reason. The fourth-year veteran tied for sixth among corners with 14 forced incompletions and that came at a 17 percent rate which was a top-25 mark.
The cornerback had a couple of quality performances against the Raiders last year, recording coverage grades of 83.2 in the first matchup and 72.9 in the second to go along with an interception and a couple of pass breakups in the contests. Between that and the numbers against Adams listed above, Samuel was a pest for the Silver and Black in 2023.
It’s no secret that Las Vegas’ passing game starts with the offense’s No. 1 receiver and Los Angeles would be smart to have its top cornerback shadow Adams throughout the game. That means this matchup should have a significant impact on the Silver and Black’s ability to put points on the board.
Robert Spillane vs. J.K. Dobbins/Gus Edwards
Between Harbaugh’s arrival and Justin Herbert missing the majority of training camp with an injury, the Chargers are expected to pound the rock this Sunday. So, expect to see a heavy dose of the team’s new running back duo of Dobbins and Edwards.
While Dobbins has battled injuries throughout his career, he has been effective when on the field with a career average of 5.8 yards per carry. He’s also managed to force 47 missed tackles (MT) on 364 carries—a 12.9 percent MT rate-throughout his career.
Between the two, Edwards is more of a power back as he averages 3.17 yards after contact per attempt and has over 2,200 career rushing yards after getting hit. He’s also coming off career highs in rushing yards (810) and touchdowns (13) while playing for the Ravens last year.
That puts a lot of weight on Spillane’s shoulders, who was one of the best run-defending linebackers in the league last season. His 89.0 PFF grade in that department ranked sixth among linebackers, and his 32 defensive stops (tackles that result in a “failure” for the offense) against the run were tied for 13th at the position.
So, this is set up for an interesting matchup in a game that is expected to be won or lost on the ground.