Khalil Mack shines in debut as Chargers hold off Las Vegas; Justin Herbert has three TDs, no turnovers
Justin Herbert, reminding folks he can pass like Bills star Josh Allen, used his arm and his legs to outplay Raiders veteran Derek Carr in theIt’s not only that Herbert, like any sharp quarterback, makes his teammates better, although he did that again in throwing for three touchdowns and avoiding turnovers.
In March the Chargers traded two draft picks — in the second and sixth rounds — to Chicago for Mack, a three-time All-Pro. True to their reputations as complete players, Mack and Bosa stymied run plays, too, in effect beefing up the whole pass defense, to which coaches could devote an extra player and more defensive backs.
So there’s just too much talent for the Chargers to repeat their defense’s dismal 2021 rankings near the bottom in points, red zone efficiency, third-down success and fourth-quarter points. Staley couldn’t lose, in other words. If the defense had been less than awful, such as in the finale when a Raiders draw converted a critical third-and-23, his system would’ve received the credit.