The Las Vegas Raiders lost their first game of the 2024 season against the Los Angeles Chargers with a final score of 10-22. The game was marked by a strong defensive performance from the Chargers, who managed to wear down the Raiders' defense, particularly in the second half.
Or was it? Was the Chargers defense great, or was the Raiders offense just that bad? I think we all know the correct answer. Don't get me wrong, the Chargers played well on that side of the ball, but Las Vegas' defense was atrocious.
Key moments included the Chargers' ability to run the ball effectively, with J.K. Dobbins having a standout performance, and critical decisions like the Raiders' choice to punt on a fourth-and-one situation in Chargers' territory, which many saw as a turning point that favored the Chargers.
So, it sounds like nothing good came from this game, right? Well, there are a few winners from this one.
Raiders winners from Week 1
Maxx Crosby, DE
This one is pretty obvious because, well, it's Maxx Crosby. He played great and even moved on up the all-time Raiders list in sacks to fourth. While he did let rookie offensive tackle Joe Alt get the best of him a few times, he still played great with a sack and a tackle for loss in the run game. Crosby is going to Crosby, as they say.
Jakorian Bennett, CB
The Raiders love what they saw from Bennett in his second offseason. He really took that step forward, which they needed to see from him after having a slow start to his rookie year. He showed that in the preseason, too, and it only translated to the first game of the year, where Bennett had a few plays where he was sticky in coverage. He played well, and I think he deserves his praise.
Christian Wilkins, DT
Wilkins looked great in his first game as a Las Vegas Raiders player. He didn't do anything crazy in the pass rush department, but he had a few great plays in the run game that showed why he is elite, including man-handling Joe Alt, the 6'8" rookie offensive tackle.
