Las Vegas Raiders fans saw the team's struggles in the defensive secondary coming from a mile away. To no one's surprise, the Raiders' cornerbacks looked shaky at best in their Week 1 win over the New England Patriots.
They could still get by against a receiver group made up of an aging Stefon Diggs and not much else, but things could get ugly in Week 2 if the unit doesn't step it up in a big way. The Los Angeles Chargers hold a heavy advantage over the Raiders in the slot in Week 2.
Nickel cornerback Darnay Holmes, who played 26 snaps against the Patriots, could be set to have the worst day of his career. Or, maybe, just maybe, he could be the reason Las Vegas pulls off an improbable upset over their division rivals.
Darnay Holmes is crucial for Raiders defense vs. Chargers
It was a rough outing for Holmes in the season opener. In just 21 coverage snaps, the former fourth-round pick allowed five catches for 73 yards. The cornerback received an atrocious coverage grade of 30.1 from Pro Football Focus, which was the worst on either side of the ball for Las Vegas.
He looked lost against one of the weakest groups of pass catchers the league has to offer, and it could be a whole lot worse against the Chargers this week. Los Angeles has no shortage of talented slot receivers, as Ladd McConkey and Keenan Allen are both Pro-Bowl-caliber talents at their best.
Their route-running finesse and ball skills make them a dangerous duo for any defense to face. To add insult to injury, this isn't the run-heavy Chargers offense that fans remember. Justin Herbert threw 34 passes in their win over the Kansas City Chiefs for over 300 yards and three touchdowns.
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Herbert wasn't afraid to push the ball down the field either, finishing with an average depth of target over 10 yards. Holmes and the rest of the Las Vegas secondary could be in for a long day in their first divisional matchup.
It's worth noting that the Raiders mixed up their rotation at nickel in Week 1. Jamal Adams, Jeremy Chinn, and even Germaine Pratt all got significant work in the slot against the Patriots. Especially after the abysmal showing Holmes had, Pete Carroll might try to keep him off the field as much as possible.
But when the Chargers are in clear passing situations, Las Vegas will need to put extra defensive backs on the field. Holmes's performance on those plays could swing the game, and hopefully, it's for the better.