There are some reasons for optimism if you’re the Raiders facing the Chargers Sunday. But there are also plenty of reasons for concern. There are a few.
Big loss on Defense
There’s no question this Raiders team’s strength is its defense. That defense is expected to carry them to a few wins this season. the most important part of that defense is the pass rush. And one of their starters was just lost to a knee injury.
Malcolm Koonce was expected to continue his scorching hot pass rushing that he displayed after Antonio Pierce took over midway through last season. He and Maxx Crosby were to be a dynamic one-two punch. Now the Raiders will have to hope either Janarius Robinson or Tyree Wilson can pick up the slack.
Quarterback comparison
This is going to happen a lot this year to the Raiders. But it’s especially true this week with Justin Herbert lining up behind center for the Chargers. Raiders QB Gardner Minshew makes up for his lack of elite physical talents with grit and moxie. While Herbert has all the physical tools to be an elite quarterback.
Outside of his injury shortened season in 2024, Herbert averages over 31 touchdowns to less than 12 interceptions per season. Minshew’s career high came in 2023 when he started 13 games and threw 15 touchdowns to nine interceptions.
At the most important position, the Chargers has a pretty extreme advantage.
Jim Harbaugh bonafides
Even if you remove Jim Harbaugh’s college football coaching, he still was a QB coach for two seasons with the Raiders (2002-03) head coach for four seasons with the 49ers (2011-14). He never had a losing season in San Francisco. He won the NFC West twice, went to the playoffs three times — winning at least one playoff game each time — made the NFC Championship game twice, and the Super Bowl once.
By comparison, Antonio Pierce’s NFL coaching experience consists of two seasons as a linebackers coach, and nine games as the interim head coach.
Harbaugh has the experience and is proven. Not having any recent NFL game tape of Harbaugh’s coaching style doesn’t help when trying to game plan against him either.