LAS VEGAS — Welcome to Allegiant Stadium.
Keep in mind to tip your Raiders.
The Chargers didn’t overlook. They had been probably the most beneficiant tippers on the town Monday night time, with eight completely different gamers swatting away a complete of 15 passes and intercepting three extra in a 20-9 victory over their AFC West rivals.
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The Chargers showcase their stellar protection in a 20-9 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on Monday night time.
It was a defensive masterpiece, one achieved with out star edge rusher Khalil Mack, whose arm was crunched on a deal with, and with linebacker Daiyan Henley — who at occasions appeared launched from a Circus Circus cannon — on the mend from a nasty abdomen bug.
“At occasions it felt like there have been greater than 11 on the market, particularly within the secondary,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh stated.
Typically, a quantity is greater than a quantity. For instance, the Chargers are 2-0, however they’re even higher than that as a result of these two wins got here in opposition to division opponents, counting the season-opening victory over Kansas Metropolis. The Chargers play their house opener Sunday in opposition to Denver with an opportunity to run the desk on their first three of six division video games.
Whereas quarterback Justin Herbert was within the highlight within the win over the Chiefs, Monday’s sport belonged to the protection — beginning with Henley’s interception on the primary play from scrimmage. He plucked a carom after teammate Alohi Gilman broke up Geno Smith’s first cross.
It was as if the supercharged stadium sprung a hissing leak.
“That’s deflating, bro,” Chargers security Derwin James stated. “It’s deflating to their coordinator — you’ve obtained your first 15 [plays] drawn up and the primary play’s a decide? Very deflating.”
The play had the alternative impact on Henley, who felt so unhealthy earlier than the sport his standing was downgraded to questionable. He completed with a game-high 10 tackles and a sack.
“Saying I felt like crap is an understatement,” he stated. “It was undoubtedly a protracted sport on the market, however I obtained a lot motivation simply being a part of this staff, being with a gaggle of men that obtained my again it doesn’t matter what.”
Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley celebrates after sacking Raiders quarterback Geno Smith within the fourth quarter on Monday night time.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Pictures)
Tony Jefferson had an interception for the Chargers on the finish of the primary half, and Donte Jackson had one ultimately zone close to sport’s finish.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was 0 for 11 on passes thrown 10 or extra yards downfield, the second-most makes an attempt with no completion since ESPN started monitoring the statistic in 2006.
Harbaugh heaped reward on James, calling him “the very best security I’ve ever seen within the historical past of the Nationwide Soccer League” and “Superman.”
“He was taking part in on the line of scrimmage, intermediate, deep half, blitzing off the sting,” the coach stated. “He can play nickel, dime backer, nook — he’s a five-tool, perhaps six-tool participant. You’d have to check him to Willie Mays.”
The Raiders generated 218 yards of offense, 171 fewer than their efficiency at New England the week earlier than.
“What that basically appears like is an actual missed alternative simply normally,” Raiders coach Pete Carroll stated.
“We didn’t play nicely sufficient on the offensive facet with the turnovers that add up. … They lined us up fairly good. I’m anxious to see the movie.”
That received’t be the feel-good film of the summer season.
The Chargers, in the meantime, spiraled in all the precise methods. Herbert threw a laser to Keenan Allen behind the top zone, and a pristine rainbow to Quentin Johnston for a 60-yard landing. He spun his passes with mechanical precision.
“The man is strictly what we thought he was for a very long time now,” Henley stated of Herbert. “He’s been on the market controlling and commanding the sport, not simply the offense, however commanding the sport. After we give him the ball, we perceive that we are able to relaxation realizing that [he] goes to get the job finished.”
If this was a yardstick sport, the guests measured up and the Raiders took a ruler-rap throughout the knuckles, dropping to the Chargers for the fourth time prior to now 5 conferences.
Allegiant Stadium crackled with vitality for this opener, with Raiders minority proprietor Tom Brady sporting headphones within the coaches’ field, Lil Jon acting at halftime, and two soccer rockstars roaming the sidelines — Harbaugh and Carroll — longstanding rivals since their days at Stanford and USC, and San Francisco and Seattle.
Carroll grew to become the primary particular person to educate an NFL sport at age 74, and youthful as he’s, the sport needed to sap his spirit a bit. The Chargers had been in management all through.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and Raiders coach Pete Carroll shake fingers after the Chargers’ win Monday.
(Sean M. Haffey / Getty Pictures)
Each groups are breaking in first-round operating backs, rookies Omarion Hampton of the Chargers and Ashton Jeanty of the Raiders. Every made some spectacular performs, but neither was a real game-changer. Hampton absorbed successful from Maxx Crosby and misplaced the ball on an alternate when the Chargers had been making an attempt to place the sport on ice.
Within the second half, the Raiders had a 19-play, 11-minute drive that resulted in a discipline aim, the gang booing in frustration because the kicking unit ran onto the sphere. Like profitable $5 on a $100 wager.
Two NFL groups haven’t allowed a first-half landing this younger season: Inexperienced Bay and the Chargers.
Brady, a Fox NFL analyst on Sundays, was capable of catch his staff after working the Philadelphia-Kansas Metropolis sport the night time earlier than.
He got here a reasonably good distance, and his franchise has a reasonably lengthy solution to go.
