Pick Six: Defense focused on playing 'Raider football' against Justin Herbert, Chargers

Sep 06, 2024 at 04:07 PM

Levi Edwards

Digital Team Reporter

1. Facing Herbert

Justin Herbert is expected to be a full-go in the season opener against the Raiders. The Chargers quarterback was dealing with a foot injury that sidelined him for several weeks during training camp, but has been back on the practice field for about two weeks now and was a full participant in practice this week.

"I think he's an All-Pro caliber player," Nate Hobbs said. "I think he's a great player, I love playing against him. It's always a great game. ... He's a great quarterback."

Herbert has thrown for 2,206 yards and 15 touchdowns in his career against the Silver and Black, so the Raiders defensive unit is very aware they all need to be on the same page to limit him.

"Knock [expletive] back, get off blocks and make tackles. It's simple as that," Robert Spillane said of the defense's mentality heading into the game. "Win your one-on-one matchups and make plays. There's great players every week in this league. We've got great players on our side of the ball. We've got to focus on playing Raider football and good things will happen."

2. Next man up on the edge

Edge rusher Malcolm Koonce has been ruled out for Sunday's game due to a knee injury. With the absence of Koonce, the defensive line will turn to Janarius Robinson and Tyree Wilson to help replicate the production. The duo combined for 4.5 sacks in 2023.

"I've been practicing for my moment," Wilson said Friday afternoon. "Malcolm is my brother, but it's the start of the season and I've got to go out there and represent like he'd want me to and really just do my job. ... We're playing Raider defense, so you've got to be able to stop the run first. Me being on the field, I've got to stop the run first and then [earn] the right to rush the passer."

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3. Protecting the pocket

The pass-rushing tandem of Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa pose a serious threat.

In the two seasons they've been teammates, they've combined for 34 sacks and 42 tackles for loss. It's also worth noting that Mack had six sacks against the Raiders last season in SoFi Stadium. Kolton Miller and Thayer Munford Jr. will be up for the challenge against the two edge rushers and the new philosophy that Jim Harbaugh brings to the Chargers.

"They have all the talent and they have a new system," Miller said. "They've got a lot more blitzes and we've got to keep our head on a swivel. It will be their first time running this defense so we're doing our best to stay ready. We're really looking forward to the competition and coming out together as a team and showing what we can do."

It's also worth noting that Miller has lined up against Bosa 31 times in his career, holding Bosa to one pressure and no sacks.

4. Bowers' debut

First-round pick Brock Bowers went from limited practice to full participation Friday and is expected to start in his first regular season NFL game. The tight end was having a standout showing in training camp before being limited with a foot injury.

"I think Brock has this humble, confident way about him that we noticed as soon as we got on the field," offensive coordinator Luke Getsy said. "And I think his comfortability with what's going on and the demand that we have of that tight end room has just been really cool to see for a young guy, to kind of just keep continuing to grow. ... For a young rookie to come in here and be able to do the different things we're asking him to do has been really cool. It's a credit to him and his work ethic."

5. A few rookies sidelined

While Bowers will be ready to go, three of the Raiders' rookies are questionable or out for Week 1.

Tommy Eichenberg returned to practice this week for the first time since mid-August. The linebacker missed a few weeks of training camp with a knee injury and is questionable to play. Guard Jackson Powers-Johnson (illness) and cornerback Decamerion Richardson (hamstring) have both been ruled out.

6. What happened last time

Obviously, there will be a little animosity on the field Sunday. Not only are the two teams storied divisional rivals, but the Raiders scored a franchise-record 63 points on the Chargers the last time they faced off in Week 15 of 2023.

Top performers from the last showdown included Jakobi Meyers, who had a receiving and passing touchdown, and Jack Jones with a highlight reel pick-six to break the franchise's single-game point total record.

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Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.