The Las Vegas Raiders will visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday, September 20, for an AFC West matchup between two teams coming out of Week 1 with completely different energy. The Raiders arrive at 1–0 following a 27–13 win over the Miami Dolphins. Los Angeles is 0–1 after suffering a disappointing 26–14 home loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
The Las Vegas Raiders opened the 2026 NFL season with a victory, established a productive running game, and showed early signs of becoming a more physical team under head coach Klint Kubiak. Now comes a far more revealing test.
According to the Raiders’ official Week 2 broadcast information, the game is scheduled to begin at 1:05 p.m. Pacific Time at SoFi Stadium. CBS will carry the regional television broadcast, while eligible local viewers can stream the game through Paramount+.
The setting adds another layer to an already heated divisional rivalry. Los Angeles may technically be the home team, but Raiders fans have maintained a significant presence throughout Southern California since the franchise left the city. That culture remains visible at many of the locations included in RMR’s guide to the best NFL watch bars in Los Angeles, where Raider Nation continues to show up every Sunday.
Inside SoFi Stadium, however, recent history has favored the Chargers.
Los Angeles has won four consecutive games against Las Vegas, including both meetings last season by a combined score of 51–23. The Raiders have also struggled inside SoFi since the stadium opened, making Sunday an early opportunity for Kubiak’s team to show that its Week 1 performance was more than a temporary bounce.
Las Vegas Established Its Identity Against Miami
The Raiders did not need a spectacular offensive performance to beat the Dolphins. They won through a productive rushing attack, effective field position, five defensive sacks, and enough timely plays from Kirk Cousins.
Ashton Jeanty became the center of the offense immediately.
The running back handled 29 touches and produced 147 yards from scrimmage, accounting for more than half of Las Vegas’ 290 total offensive yards. He also caught two touchdown passes, demonstrating that the Raiders intend to use him as more than a traditional early-down runner.
That workload gave Las Vegas control over the pace of the game and prevented Miami’s pass rush from attacking Cousins on every snap. Jeanty consistently created manageable situations while showing the contact balance and vision that made him one of the most important players in the Raiders’ rebuilding effort.
The offensive line also delivered one of the team’s most encouraging performances.
Kolton Miller, Spencer Burford, Tyler Linderbaum, Jackson Powers-Johnson, and DJ Glaze helped Las Vegas generate consistent movement in the running game. More importantly, the unit did not surrender a sack against Miami.
Cousins completed 21 of 30 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns, but his performance was not spotless.
Kirko threw two interceptions and completed only one of his seven attempts traveling more than 10 yards downfield. Those turnovers are crucial entering Week 2.
The Raiders were able to overcome them against Miami because their defense and special teams consistently answered. Giving the Chargers additional possessions at SoFi could produce a much different result.
Las Vegas does not need Cousins to become an aggressive downfield gunslinger. It needs him to distribute the ball, capitalize on play action, and protect an offense designed to run through Jeanty.
The Chargers Are Searching for an Offensive Response
Los Angeles entered the season with significant expectations surrounding Justin Herbert and new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.
The first result did not resemble the finished product.
Arizona held the Chargers to 14 points and consistently prevented their offense from developing a comfortable rhythm. Herbert faced pressure, Los Angeles struggled to sustain drives, and the Chargers failed to fully establish the motion, spacing, and yards-after-catch production commonly associated with McDaniel’s system.
As ESPN reported following the defeat, McDaniel acknowledged that the offense did not match the vision Los Angeles had carried into the season.
That does not mean the Chargers lack answers.
Herbert still possesses one of the NFL’s strongest arms and can attack every part of the field. Running back Omarion Hampton gives Los Angeles a physical option capable of forcing the Raiders to respect the interior rushing game. Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater give the Chargers premium talent at offensive tackle.
The challenge is turning that individual ability into an organized offensive identity while Maxx Crosby is attempting to destroy the structure of every play.
Maxx Crosby Against Joe Alt Is the Matchup to Watch
Crosby remains the most important player on the Raiders’ defense. His value cannot be measured only through sacks. Crosby changes protection calls, forces quarterbacks to leave comfortable throwing positions, and creates favorable matchups for the rest of the defensive front.
Las Vegas also received an encouraging opening performance from Kwity Paye, who recorded two sacks against Miami. The possibility of Paye consistently winning opposite Crosby would make the Raiders significantly more difficult to block than they were last season.
Alt will be responsible for handling a large portion of that pressure. He has the size, athleticism, and technique to compete with Crosby, but Los Angeles cannot expect one blocker to erase the Raiders’ best defender for four quarters.
If Crosby requires tight ends, running backs, or sliding protection, Paye and the Raiders’ interior rushers must take advantage. Generating pressure without relying on heavy blitz packages would allow Las Vegas to keep more defenders in coverage against Herbert.
If the Chargers protect Herbert cleanly, the Raiders’ secondary could be vulnerable, especially with cornerback Darien Porter dealing with a foot injury.
Ashton Jeanty Will See a Different Kind of Defense
Los Angeles knows the Raiders want to run through Jeanty. Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley will be central to the response. Henley has the athleticism to pursue outside runs and the physicality to meet Jeanty between the tackles. Los Angeles can also bring additional defenders closer to the line and dare Cousins to create explosive plays outside.
That is where the Raiders’ receivers must provide more production.
Tre Tucker, Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech, and Malik Benson combined for nine catches and 83 yards against Miami. Bech caught his first NFL touchdown, but the Raiders did not receive much consistent downfield production from the position.
Las Vegas can survive modest receiving numbers when Jeanty is moving the chains and the defense is creating short fields. It will become much harder if the Chargers slow the running game and place Cousins in repeated third-and-long situations.
Khalil Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu, and rookie Akheem Mesidor give Los Angeles enough pass-rushing talent to punish an offense forced to become predictable.
Brock Bowers and Ladd McConkey Remain the Biggest Injury Questions
The availability of Brock Bowers could reshape the Raiders’ offensive plan. As of 11:09 a.m. Pacific Time on September 18, the official Raiders–Chargers injury report showed that Bowers did not participate Wednesday or Thursday because of his knee.
Bowers returned to the practice field Friday, but his participation level and official game designation had not yet been published at the stated cutoff. His return to practice represented progress, but it did not guarantee that he would play Sunday.
If Bowers is active, Cousins regains an elite receiving option who can create favorable matchups against linebackers and safeties. If he remains unavailable, Michael Mayer and the Raiders’ receivers will again have to absorb those opportunities.
Porter also missed Wednesday and Thursday with a foot injury, making his Friday status important for a secondary preparing to face Herbert.
The Chargers have an equally significant situation involving Ladd McConkey.
McConkey caught six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown against Arizona before leaving with a rib injury. He did not practice Wednesday or Thursday and was working separately with the training staff during portions of practice available to reporters.
As of the publishing of this article, Los Angeles had not issued its final designation for McConkey.
Chargers defensive back Elijah Molden and offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III also missed the first two practices of the week. Defensive lineman Teair Tart improved from not participating Wednesday to limited participation Thursday, while Mack returned to full participation after receiving Wednesday off for rest.
Raiders vs. Chargers Odds and Sportsbook Market
Final Friday injury designations and Sunday’s inactive lists should be checked before publishing betting recommendations, fantasy decisions, or player-prop analysis.
The Chargers remained 6.5-point home favorites in the widely published market as of Friday morning. The game total was available around 43.5 points, although prices varied by sportsbook and could move once the final injury report became available.
In its Week 2 predictions, CBS Sports referenced a Chargers -6.5 line from DraftKings Sportsbook while predicting a 24–16 Los Angeles victory.
FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, ESPN BET, bet365, and other legal betting platforms may offer different prices, alternate spreads, totals, and player props. The unresolved statuses of Bowers and McConkey are particularly relevant to receiving props, passing totals, touchdown markets, and the overall point total.
The Chargers being favored makes sense based on quarterback talent, home field, defensive personnel, and recent success in the rivalry. However, a 6.5-point spread requires Los Angeles to do more than simply rebound and win.
Las Vegas demonstrated several traits that can help an underdog stay competitive. The Raiders can run the ball, pressure the quarterback, and influence field position through special teams. Those strengths create a realistic path toward keeping the game within one possession.
Special Teams Could Give Las Vegas an Advantage
Las Vegas received major contributions from its special teams against Miami.
Dylan Laube produced 95 yards on two kickoff returns, while Benson added 35 yards on punt returns. AJ Cole averaged 63.3 yards across three punts, including a 72-yard effort, and Matt Gay converted both of his field-goal attempts.
That production repeatedly gave the Raiders manageable fields while forcing Miami to travel longer distances.
Las Vegas cannot assume those results will repeat every week, but special teams can shrink the margin between a road underdog and a favored opponent. One long return, well-placed punt, or missed kick could become decisive if the Raiders keep Sunday’s game close.
What Las Vegas Must Do to Win
The Raiders need to establish Jeanty without becoming one-dimensional.
Kubiak should continue giving him a significant workload while using play action and designed throws to challenge Los Angeles when its linebackers step toward the line. Cousins must also avoid the interceptions that gave Miami opportunities to change the game.
Defensively, Las Vegas needs Crosby and Paye to pressure Herbert while remaining disciplined against Hampton. Allowing the Chargers to run efficiently would neutralize much of the Raiders’ pass rush by keeping Los Angeles out of obvious passing situations.
The receivers must contribute more than they did in Week 1. Las Vegas does not need a 150-yard performance from one player, but Tucker, Nailor, and Bech must collectively give Cousins answers when the Chargers crowd the box.
What Los Angeles Must Do to Win
The Chargers need to produce a cleaner offensive game from the opening possession. McDaniel’s system is designed to create space through movement, timing, and defensive conflict. Los Angeles must use those elements to keep Crosby from attacking a stationary Herbert throughout the afternoon.
Hampton can help by giving the Chargers a credible rushing threat. Herbert must then take advantage when the Raiders commit additional defenders to the box.
Defensively, Los Angeles needs to tackle Jeanty before he consistently turns short gains into successful plays. If the Chargers stop the run on early downs, they can unleash Mack and Tuipulotu against Cousins in predictable passing situations.
Raiders vs. Chargers Prediction
The Chargers should perform better than they did against Arizona. Herbert’s talent, the urgency created by an 0–1 start, and Los Angeles’ recent control of this rivalry all support a bounce-back performance.
The Raiders nevertheless appear capable of making this closer than the spread suggests.
Jeanty gives Las Vegas a way to control the tempo.
Crosby gives the defense a player capable of disrupting the Chargers’ entire offensive plan.
The Raiders’ offensive line and special teams also showed enough in Week 1 to suggest that Las Vegas can remain competitive without relying on Cousins to carry the game.
Cousins’ two interceptions against Miami prevent this from being a comfortable upset pick. Giving Herbert extra possessions at SoFi Stadium would likely become too much for Las Vegas to overcome.
The Chargers are the pick to win, but the Raiders have a reasonable chance to cover a 6.5-point spread and keep the result undecided into the fourth quarter.
Final prediction: Chargers 20, Raiders 27.
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Accuracy note: Injury participation, final game designations, sportsbook odds, and kickoff listings were reviewed through 11:09 a.m. Pacific Time on September 18, 2026. The Raiders’ official website listed kickoff for 1:05 p.m. PT, although at least one CBS Sports page displayed 4:25 p.m. ET, or 1:25 p.m. PT. The official team listing was used here.
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