The Las Vegas Raiders had a hard time competing in the AFC West last season. The Kansas City Chiefs were, as expected, the conference's best team, and both the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos exceeded expectations en route to playoff appearances.
While the Broncos limped in thanks to a Jonathan Taylor fumble at the goal line and beating the Chiefs' backups in Week 18, the Chargers were a legitimate threat during the entire year. Fortunately, both got stomped in the first round of the playoffs, which made Raiders fans feel better.
This offseason, the Raiders made the requisite upgrades, at least at several key positions, to feel like they could compete in the division. After all, the Chiefs finally looked human in the Super Bowl, and the hope was that maybe the Broncos and Chargers were a bit smoke-and-mirrors in 2024.
Chargers already look like the team to beat in the AFC West
Friday night's game between the Chiefs and Chargers, however, told a different story. Although the Chiefs were missing a few key wide receivers and had a handful of calls not go their way for once, Los Angeles made a serious statement in the 27-21 win, and they looked like a legitimate contender.
All eyes are on the New England Patriots for Sunday's Week 1 game, but next week, the Chargers will come to Allegiant Stadium for a primetime Monday Night Football matchup against the Raiders. Surely, the Jim Harbaugh-led squad will be out for blood against a Pete Carroll-guided team.
Justin Herbert looked like an early MVP candidate, and their offensive line held up incredibly well against a Chiefs defensive line that boasts Chris Jones and George Karlaftis. The run game was not utilized often as expected, but rookie running back Omarion Hampton looked solid in his first action.
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Defensively, the Chargers were stout as well. They abused Chiefs rookie offensive tackle Josh Simmons and got pressure on Patrick Mahomes all night. Obviously, there is no way to fully keep Mahomes in check, but they did as good a job as Los Angeles has in recent memory.
The Chargers' linebackers came up and made a handful of tackles in the open field, as well as some big plays in coverage. The defensive backfield really had just one or two big blunders, which led to a long Tyquan Thornton catch and a Travis Kelce walk-in touchdown.
It's still unknown how the Raiders will look in Week 1, but the urgency for them to beat the Patriots is now even greater. The Chargers pose a legitimate threat in the AFC West and the conference, so they'll need to bring their absolute best to begin the year to avoid a dismal start under Carroll.
Fortunately, in rivalry games, especially one between two coaches like Carroll and Harbaugh, records and résumés can be thrown out the window. Regardless of what happened in Week 1, it should be a gritty and physical divisional battle. But the Chargers let everyone know they're here to stay on Friday.