Studs and duds from Chargers’ Week 1 victory over Raiders
The Chargers started their season 1-0 after defeating the rival Raiders 24-19 on Sunday.
While the team performed well, overall, there are always places for the team to improve.
Here’s who showed out and who was quiet in the season opener.
Stud: Asante Samuel Jr.
Yes, Davante Adams finished with ten receptions for 141 yards and put Samuel in a blender more than a few times. But Samuel also seemed to regain his swagger in this one, with a few key pass breakups on the sideline as well as an interception deep down the field. The second-year corner wasn’t afraid to get into it with Adams, either, as the two jawed with one another early and often. With the CB2 spot still up for grabs once JC Jackson returns from ankle surgery, Samuel’s performance and confident demeanor this week could keep him on the field.
Dud: Mike Williams
Williams was largely shut down in this one, only hauling in 2 passes for 10 yards, both of which came in the fourth quarter. It was a peculiar lack of usage for the big-money receiver, especially after Keenan Allen left the game in the second quarter with a hamstring injury. Perhaps Justin Herbert just didn’t look his way, certainly, a possibility considering that nine different receivers had receptions and 11 total were targeted. Still, the lack of established talent in the Raiders’ secondary seemed to make for a good matchup for Williams. It’ll be an interesting exercise later this week to review the tape and see what was going on with him.
Stud: DeAndre Carter
For as underwhelming as Williams was, Carter was just as far above expectations. LA’s presumptive WR4 finished second on the team in receiving yards with 64, including a 30-yard strike on a beautiful Herbert throw and a touchdown just before halftime on which he split the Raiders safeties. Carter added a new vertical dimension to the Chargers’ offense, and Herbert largely had the time to move through his reads and find him downfield. With Allen potentially out multiple weeks with his injury, Carter’s role could continue to expand.
Dud: Matt Feiler
Feiler had an up-and-down game, so maybe it’s a bit harsh to call him a dud. But early on, he seemed to be the one getting beat the most by Raiders defenders, not rookie right guard Zion Johnson or right tackle Trey Pipkins. Feiler did rebound with a few nice run-blocking reps, particularly in the third quarter when he sprung Joshua Kelley for a few big gains. But he false started in the fourth quarter and overall didn’t quite look like the rock-solid player from last season. There’s still plenty of time for Feiler to rebound, and his down performance this week didn’t lead to any painful consequences.
Stud: The veteran additions
Edge defender Khalil Mack had three sacks, including a strip sack on 4th-and-8 that all but sealed the game for the Chargers. Tight end Gerald Everett followed through on the offseason hype with three receptions for 54 yards and a touchdown. Slot corner Bryce Callahan locked up Raiders receiver Hunter Renfrow all game and baited Derek Carr into a fourth-quarter interception. Austin Johnson led the way for a few run stops in the first half while the Chargers stymied Josh Jacobs. Overall, it looked like an incredibly successful free agent class (and trade acquisition, in the case of Mack) from general manager Tom Telesco in Week 1.
Dud: Michael Davis
Davis struggled much more than Samuel did when matched up with Davante Adams and overall had a much quieter game, save for the fourth quarter when Davis committed a pass interference penalty that gave the Raiders a second attempt on their fourth-quarter two-point conversion try. After such a strong training camp, I expected Davis to come out and take the CB2 job behind JC Jackson, especially after he seemed to win it from Samuel during the preseason. Instead, it looks like he’ll be the one starting out with a rotational role while Samuel takes starting reps opposite LA’s big-money corner.
Stud: JK Scott
I wrote in one of my preview pieces this week that special teams always concern me when it comes to the Raiders, but Scott was phenomenal. At least two of his four punts had a hangtime of over 5 seconds, a key factor in consistently pinning the Raiders deep in their own territory. For reference, 2021 punter Ty Long averaged 4.2 seconds of hangtime per punt last season, 18th among punters with at least 40 tries. Scott’s first-half boot that downed the Raiders inside their own five was arguably prettier than any punt a Charger not named Mike Scifres has thrown down in my lifetime.
Dud: Austin Ekeler
Credit the Raiders for a good gameplan, but Ekeler took 18 touches for only 72 yards and was shut out of the end zone for the first time since December 2020 against the Raiders. His 2.6 yards per carry was the worst he’s had in a game since Week 12 last year when he averaged 2.58 on 12 carries against the Broncos. There’s no reason to be concerned about Ekeler’s long-term outlook, of course, but it was a tad bit concerning from a game management perspective that the running game was largely unable to salt the game away in the fourth quarter. Hopefully, Ekeler is granted more opportunity on Thursday against a Chiefs team that allowed 103 rushing yards in a 44-21 victory over the Cardinals.
