Las Vegas Raiders struggle to rush the passer to get home against Los Angeles Chargers

The Raiders won’t win many games if their excellent pass rush doesn’t hit home. Crosby can’t be the only player who consistently puts pressure on the rim.

That was a big reason the Raiders signed defensive end Christian Wilkins to such a lucrative contract. Wilkins knows how to push the pocket inside, but he didn’t do much of that tonight. Wilkins was second on the team in rushing, but he had just five.

Justin Herbert wasn’t particularly bright, but he still had enough time to make something happen and move the chains. The Raiders didn’t do enough to make him uncomfortable throughout the game, which led to the Chargers taking advantage of their opportunities.

The Raiders played without Malcolm Koonce, who is dealing with a knee injury and is currently on the reserve/injured list. Koonce’s absence hurts the Raiders after his breakout season in 2023, which inspired the team to believe he was the answer to pass-rushing opposite Crosby.

Due to Koonce’s injury, the Raiders called upon Tyree Wilson and Janarius Robinson to fill that role. Wilson left early due to his own injury, while Robinson and Charles Snowden were not very productive when they were on the field.

The Raiders had five combined hits on the quarterback, but it wasn’t enough to put Herbert away. The Chargers’ excellent duo of Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt did well against Las Vegas.

This Invaders will face the Baltimore Ravens next week, whose offensive line struggled in the first game of the season. Crosby and the Raiders need to take advantage of that and go after Lamar Jackson, or they could be in big trouble.

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