After plenty of offseason excitement, the Bolts showed it was warranted during Sunday's 24-19 win over the Raiders.
The Chargers offense put up 355 total yards while the defense flourished — intercepting three passes and sacking the quarterback six times — including the game-clinching one by outside linebacker Khalil Mack.
Jordan Dajani of CBS Sports was impressed by the performance, awarding the Bolts an ‘A- grade’ following their 1-0 start.
As Dajani pointed out, not only did the offensive side of the ball impress, but the defense flashed enroute to their Week 1 victory.
He wrote:
The Chargers are a Super Bowl contender, and they got off on the right foot against the Raiders with the victory. Justin Herbert looked like an MVP candidate, as he completed 26 of 34 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. The offensive line didn't allow a single sack, while the defense took down Carr five times.
How about Khalil Mack? Anyone questioning if he's still got it? Nope. He recorded three sacks -- including the clutch QB takedown to seal the win in the fourth quarter. The defense also picked off Carr three times. I will say that the Chargers probably don't want to be outscored 16-7 in the second half, but a win is a win. Bolt Nation, let's ride.
The Bolts won the turnover battle 3-0, a key stat line from Sunday's win. And as previously mentioned, the offensive line did not allow a sack in the entirety of the game—something the team only did three times last season.
Quarterback Justin Herbert completed 26 of 34 passes for 279 yards and three touchdowns. He extended his touchdown streak to 22 games on Sunday, the second-longest active streak in the NFL.
For his performance on Sunday, Herbert was nominated for the FedEx Air Player of Week.
You can vote here for Herbert.
Defensively, Mack was among the standouts as he teamed with Joey Bosa for 4.5 combined sacks.
Mack, who only played in seven games last season due to injury, finished with 3.0 sacks, three tackles for loss and a forced fumble.
As Bleacher Report's Maurice Moton put it, Mack’s resurgence with the Chargers and their offseason additions could end up being a gamechanger for the team.
He wrote:
Anyone who thought Khalil Mack would head down a path toward a sharp decline should pump the brakes ... At least for now, it seems as though the Chargers made a much-needed investment in a defense that gave up the fourth-most points in 2021.
Mack is not only hunts quarterbacks, but also is one of the best in the league when it comes to limiting the opposing run game. After Mack and the defenses' debut, Moton believes that this group has the ability to compliment the offense.
Moton wrote:
Now on the opposite side of edge-rusher Joey Bosa, Mack could see fewer double-teams enroute to the quarterback. If he can stay healthy, the Chargers will have a formidable defense to complement an elite-level offense that features rising star quarterback Justin Herbert.
The Bolts are now on a short week as they prepare for Thursday night's AFC West matchup in Kansas City.
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