Sportsnaut
As the Las Vegas Raiders begin a week of practices leading up to an AFC West showdown with the Los Angeles Chargers on “Monday Night Football,” they must address flaws that could make or break their 2025 season.
The offensive line has to do a better job of protecting quarterback Geno Smith, who took four sacks last Sunday. Head coach Pete Carroll also said that running back Ashton Jeanty needs to settle down and show more patience in setting up his blocks.
Though Las Vegas’ secondary played better than most expected, one particular player had a rough outing in coverage.
Looking ahead to Week 2, three Raiders are under the most pressure to have a bounce-back performance against the Chargers. These players are at risk of losing their starting jobs, either temporarily or permanently, and one of them is a cut candidate.
During the summer, the Raiders didn’t show much trust in Darnay Holmes as their primary slot defender. Instead, they moved safety Jeremy Chinn to that spot in nickel formation.
However, Holmes played most of the snaps in the slot against the New England Patriots last week. He struggled mightily, allowing five receptions for 73 yards on six targets, permitting a 117.4 passer rating, per Pro Football Focus.
At some point, Las Vegas must address the nickelback position rather than feature Holmes, who was a liability in a matchup against a below-average Patriots pass-catching group.
Chinn gave up an early touchdown to slot wideout DeMario Douglas, but he’s still a solid starter at safety. Holmes could be in danger of losing his part-time starting role and a roster spot if he has another subpar performance against the Chargers.
The Patriots generated consistent pressure on blitzes, stunts and twists. Jackson Powers-Johnson couldn’t keep up with New England’s aggressive defenders. He allowed two pressures and a sack, per Pro Football Focus.
Powers-Johnson also committed two penalties for ineligible man downfield, which New England declined, and unnecessary roughness for a late hit near the sideline.
Last year, Powers-Johnson drew 11 penalties. Though his toughness is appreciated, he must cut down on extracurricular activities.
For now, the second-year pro seems to have a secure position at right guard, but if the coaching staff feels the need to reel in his temperament, eight-year veteran Alex Cappa could see some action.
As mentioned, New England purposely pressured the Raiders’ second-year offensive linemen on the strong side of the formation. Along with Powers-Johnson, DJ Glaze also had a rough outing against the Patriots.
According to Pro Football Focus, Glaze gave up four pressures. He also committed two penalties, for illegal formation, which the Patriots declined, and holding. Because of the latter infraction, Las Vegas had the ball on 2nd-and-22 late in the third quarter.
Like Powers-Johnson, Glaze has a veteran threat to his position. Before the start of the season, Las Vegas signed Stone Forsythe, who’s familiar with Carroll from their time with...
