Observations from the Raiders’ Week 1 loss

Despite having enough pieces to field a scoreboard-busting unit, the inconsistency of the Raiders offense prevented the team from sneaking out of SoFi Stadium with a surprising win against a division rival. The rushing attack never got untracked (22 rushes for 71 yards), and a lack of offensive balance enabled the Chargers to load up against Gardner Minshew and Co. on obvious passing downs. While the scattershot performance of the offensive line contributed to the Raiders’ struggles on the ground, the unit also failed to handle the Chargers’ pass-rush games at the line of scrimmage. The constant twisting and “club-and-rip” maneuvers disrupted the game’s rhythm, as evidenced by the timely sacks from Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack.

Moreover, the lack of solid protection for Minshew forced the veteran to play like a gunslinger instead of relying on his managerial skills to help the Raiders seize control utilizing various “Bully Ball” tactics. With turnovers and conservative play calls also disrupting the offense’s rhythm, the Raiders weren’t able to walk out of SoFi Stadium with a win.