The Chargers open as expected: strong and passing over a division rival, the Raiders

Los Angeles, California.- The Chargers entered the season as the favorite that a majority points to as a contender in the American Conference.

In its debut, the California team cruised past one of its Western Division rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, 24-19.

A season ago, quarterback Justin Herbert threw a franchise-record 38 touchdown passes during his second season. In Sunday’s win over the Los Vegas Raiders, Herbert picked up right where he left off by throwing for three touchdowns and 279 yards to kick off his third NFL season.

Herbert spread the ball through the offense on Sunday afternoon completing passes to nine different players (going to 11 players total) for 26 total completions. All three of Herbert’s touchdowns went to new additions to the offense, starting with rookie fullback Zander Horvath to tight end Gerald Everett and then wide receiver DeAndre Carter.

After the win, Carter talked about what he saw in the touchdown and why Herbert is one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL.

“They talk about receivers being friendly, but you know Justin makes it easy for us,” Carter said. “He’s throwing the ball in places that a lot of people can’t get to. Hitting us on the numbers and you know that when the ball is right in the sweet spot, it’s hard to drop it. So, that’s all Justin.”

Herbert, who topped 70 career touchdown passes on Sunday, spoke about his new offensive weapons in Carter and Everett and the ability to create plays that add to the offense.

“It was an incredible catch. [Carter]Herbert said. “It was low and he went down it and caught it.

“I thought his catch in the end zone was pretty impressive,” Herbert added later. “It’s a very tough catch for him to go that low, and he still has to keep his eyes peeled to see if defenders come at him.”

And Everett?

“I think Gerald’s catch was unbelievable as well, kind of a broken play,” Herbert said. “He’s just a playmaker. He’s a special player that when things break down you have to find him on the field and he makes a great catch, fights for a couple of yards and finds himself in the end zone.”

For Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, what struck him most about Herbert’s performance wasn’t the stats, but the way he led the team to start the season with a 1-0 record.

“The best thing he did was lead our team today,” Staley said. “He led our team today and kept our team together. Then to end up with the ball there at the end of the game, guarding the ball, good trade between him and Corey [Linsley] all day. So, you have no sacks and no turnovers, you’re going to have a real shot in every game you play.”

The Chargers fielded three running backs in their season opener, with Austin Ekeler leading the way followed by third-year running back Joshua Kelley and newly acquired Sony Michel.

While the Chargers’ running backs didn’t find the end zone on Sunday, Staley explained why the running game was a key part of the Bolts’ victory in a game Staley described as “tough” and “tough.”

“I thought it was one of those tough, rugged football games,” Staley said. “It wasn’t like a pretty running game, where we were able to get some explosives, but it was tough and tough. What we were able to do was control the clock and control the ball.”

“So, I think when we had to have him, a couple short-yard deals, and then at the end in four minutes to close him out, we were able to do enough,” Staley added. “It was just one of those rough, tough games. I think all those guys did a good job.”

On the other side of the ball, the new Bolts defense shone in its debut as a unit with veteran OLB Khalil Mack posting 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss and four QB hits. The Bolts also intercepted Raiders quarterback Derek Carr three times in the afternoon. Staley talked about why they needed all three levels of defense to have a great game.

“In order to defend a team like that, you’re going to need an arsenal to be able to do it. I think we saw all three levels of our defense play together,” Staley said. “That was our vision, it was to build a complete defensive football team. I think that’s what you saw today, it was a full defensive football team.

“There’s still a lot of work to do,” Staley added. “We’re going to look at this and there’s going to be a lot of things that we didn’t like, but we competed the right way and we did the things that you have to do in this league, which is force serves, play tight.” in the red zone and run away. I think we did.”

The Chargers defense was on full display during the second quarter as Mack recorded his second sack of the afternoon for a 3-yard loss. On the next play, Carr fired a pass intended for tight end Darren Waller toward midfield, but linebacker Drue Tranquill read the route and recorded his first career interception.

Tranquill’s interception proved to have a big impact, as he set up Carter’s 23-yard touchdown run that put the Bolts up 17-3 late in the first half.

After the Chargers’ win, Tranquill described the emotions he felt when he had his first career interception.

“It was super exciting,” Tranquill said. “Just to see the enthusiasm of my teammates, you know that [los Raiders] they were trying to make a push just before the half to get some points on the board and to be able to stop them and get some points was huge for our team. «

Tranquil, who was a former safety during his time at Notre Dame, said the midfield interception took him back to his days as a safety in college.

“It brought back those drills that I used to do as a safety,” Tranquil said. “Rotating in the middle of the field… we had some dips in the game plan where he was dropping in the middle of the field, so I felt like he was summoning a little bit from the safety pool, but it definitely helped on that play for sure.”

Information: Los Angeles Chargers.

Gerald Everett backpedals his way into the end zone. What a throw by Herbert?

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