Graney: Raiders outplay Chargers and are perfect for it

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Las Vegas Raiders secured a 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, improving to 2-0 for the first time in five seasons. The Chargers fell to 0-2 after the loss. Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one interception. Although the Chargers showed improvement compared to their season‑opening defeat by Arizona, they remained ineffective for much of the contest. Las Vegas dominated the opening half, surrendering only a single sustained Chargers drive — a 10‑play, 69‑yard march that produced points. The Raiders missed several early chances, including a stuffed fourth‑and‑goal from the 1‑yard line and an interception on their first possession after Tre Tucker slipped and a Cousins pass was picked off. Cousins later connected with Tucker for a 40‑yard touchdown, giving Las Vegas a 7‑0 advantage early in the second quarter. Despite the lack of an established No. 1 receiver, Tucker demonstrated the ability to make big plays. The game was sloppy, with at least seven drops combined; Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty accounted for three of those miscues. Looking ahead, Las Vegas travels to New Orleans to face a 1‑1 Saints squad that defeated Baltimore on Sunday. New Orleans enters as the favorite, but the Raiders will aim to add another win to their ledger. The performance displayed both strengths and weaknesses before a pro‑Raiders crowd, yet the team proved it had enough to prevail. How are you feeling, Raiders fans? Ed Graney, a Sigma Delta Chi Award winner for sports feature writing, covered the game.