These AFC West foes seem have one thing in common. They're both looking to get things back in gear offensively.
The Raiders are going into their Week 13 matchup with Greg Olson taking over as lead playcaller. This comes as the Silver and Black rank 31st in points scored, having scored 10 points or less on five occasions this season. The Chargers are also looking to turn things around, after they were defeated 35-6 by the Jacksonville Jaguars before their bye week.
In this week's matchup, physicality in the trenches will be a key factor.
Raiders offensive line vs. Chargers pass rush
The Raiders offensive line was, well, not great against the Cleveland Browns.
Geno Smith was sacked 10 times, three of those by Myles Garrett who is on a path to break the single-season sack record. Per Next Gen Stats, Smith was pressured on a season-high 23 dropbacks (40.4% pressure rate).
The offensive line has gone through a lot of changes over the course of the season. Ankle injuries have forced Kolton Miller and Jackson Powers-Johnson out of action and onto injured reserve, and the trio Jordan Meredith, Alex Cappa and Will Putnam have split reps at center and guard. While it might seem like things can't get worse after allowing 10 sacks, they could in SoFi Stadium.
Chargers edge rushers Tuli Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack have been on a tear, as they combined for 12 sacks on the season. Tuipulotu also has 12 tackles for loss under his belt. As for Mack, it seems he takes it up a notch whenever he faces the team that drafted him in 2014. The nine-time Pro Bowler has a career 12.5 sacks in games against the Raiders, and six of those on Aidan O'Connell in his first career start in 2023.
Needless to say, it will take a group effort to mend the problems in the trenches.
"We got the guys we got," Pete Carroll said of the O-line, "and so we're going to continue to have our guys battle to show what they can do and have their play time and what they earn during the week. But more so, it's trying to get everybody connected with, really, the approach and the philosophy that really I've stood for for a long time."
"You always have to feel the pressure," Geno Smith said of how he can avoid taking sacks. "Obviously, know if you're hot or not, so that's understanding your protections and knowing who's blitzing and who's not. But you got to feel the pressure, and I try my best to not look at the rush, but to feel the rush. But when you're facing a great defensive line, similar to the Browns, you have got to speed up the process. And so, those are the things that I tried to do last week. Obviously, it wasn't good enough."
The flip side of the trenches
The Chargers offensive line are in a similar boat to that of the Silver and Black.
They've lost both their starting tackles Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt for the season, and a plethora of other offensive linemen have been battling lingering injuries. This has resulted in quarterback Justin Herbert being sacked 13 times in the last three games, becoming the fourth-most sacked quarterback in the NFL.
Herbert's career record against the Raiders is 3-3 in games in which he's sacked at least twice. In games he's been sacked once or not at all, he's a perfect 4-0 against Las Vegas.
Maxx Crosby has been on his game lately with six tackles for loss, five quarterback hits and a strip sack in his last two contests. But the rest of the Raiders defensive line will need to step up in Los Angeles. Per Next Gen Stats, the Raiders' 27% quarterback pressure rate is the second lowest in the league. Additionally, their 20 sacks ranks 27th in the league in that category.
Considering the Chargers' lack of depth at offensive tackle, Malcolm Koonce must continue getting more involved, especially after recording his second sack of the season on Shedeur Sanders last Sunday. The Raiders could also send a few more blitzes in Herbert's direction, after blitzing the quarterback on just 33 percent of snaps against the Browns.
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The Raiders hit the practice field as they prepare for their Week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Las Vegas Raiders punter AJ Cole (6) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Eric Stokes (22) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Atonio Mafi (56) in the weight room during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Treven Ma'ae (68) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) in the weight room during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Alex Cappa (65) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Cam Miller (5) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Alex Cappa (65) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders center Will Putnam (67) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Charles Snowden (49) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Cody Lindenberg (55) walks out to the field for practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Zamir White (3) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jamal Adams (33) and defensive end Malcolm Koonce (51) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Leki Fotu (95) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jamal Adams (33) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Laki Tasi (79) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Ian Thomas (80) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tight end Carter Runyon (46) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Dylan Parham (66) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II (13) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough and Head Coach Pete Carroll during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2), Head Coach Pete Carroll and running back Raheem Mostert (31) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders offensive lineman Stone Forsythe (70) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Devin White (45) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jon Rhattigan (59) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Cody Lindenberg (55) and linebacker Elandon Roberts (52) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders Head Coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Geno Smith (7) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Devin White (45) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive lineman Boogie Basham (57) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Terrell Edmunds (28) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders safety Isaiah Pola-Mao (20) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly (36) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) in a huddle during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders tackle Dalton Wagner (78) and tackle DJ Glaze (71) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Atonio Mafi (56) and tackle Dalton Wagner (78) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders guard Caleb Rogers (76) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach Deland McCullough and running back Ashton Jeanty (2) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith (7) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech (18) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Shedrick Jackson (4) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver DJ Turner (19) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker (1) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Dont'e Thornton Jr. (10) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Alex Bachman (81) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tyler Lockett (17) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Phillip Dorsett II (13) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (12) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders linebacker Jamin Davis (48) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Tyree Wilson (9) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Malcolm Koonce (51) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Jahfari Harvey (91) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Jahfari Harvey (91) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Tonka Hemingway (97) during practice at Intermountain Health Performance Center.
