The Chargers are set to face off against the Raiders on Monday night.
There are a few things that Los Angeles will need to do in order to secure a victory in Week 4.
The Chargers are boasting one of the top offenses in the NFL, largely due to quarterback Justin Herbert. In order for Herbert to cook, the offensive line must contain a Raiders front that has consistently generated pressure on opposing signal-callers. If so, wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams could feast on a secondary that features former Chargers cornerback Casey Hayward. Against one of the highest-scoring teams in the league, Los Angeles has to convert in the red zone and can’t afford to trade field goals for touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, Brandon Staley has done an excellent job of neutralizing the pass, which is what QB Derek Carr has had a ton of success doing this season. Getting pressure through twists, stunts, various packages, and throwing a bunch of confusing coverage looks and pre-snap alignments is the key to extinguish Carr and his down-the-field passing tendencies. Where L.A. has struggled is against the run, which is why it’s vital that the defensive line wins their match-ups in the trenches and the second and third lines make their plays to keep them from being multi-dimensional.
