One of the biggest storylines heading into the Week 1 showdown between the LA Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders was how the two pass-rushing tandems would perform. The Chargers went out and traded for Khalil Mack while the Raiders signed free agent Chandler Jones.
The Chargers emerged victoriously in the game and so did the team's pass-rushing tandem. Mack and Joey Bosa are arguably the most talented duo in the sport but Raiders fans were still passing off Jones and Maxx Crosby as the better duo.
The results on the field showed that the Chargers have the advantage when it comes to elite pass-rushers as the Bolts got to Derek Carr quite easily. LA finished with six sacks, five tackles for loss and nine total quarterback hits. Mack alone had three sacks to silence his critics.
Meanwhile, the Chargers' offensive line derailed the hype train around Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones.
The Las Vegas Raiders did not sack Justin Herbert a single time in this game. While the team did get some pressure on Herbert, for the most part, the pressure did not really play that big of a role in this game for the Chargers.
Vegas recorded just three quarterback hits and of those three, the only one that actually had an impact on the game was a Crosby hitting Herbert from his blind side to disrupt a pass (the Chargers still scored on that drive). Outside of that, his one extra hit and Jones' one hit did not really impact the grand scheme of this game.
This was an outcome that showcased two sides of the same coin. First of all, this game showcased the growth the Chargers have had on the offensive line over the last two years that gives Herbert one of the best pass-protection groups in the entire league.
Second of all, this showed that the Raiders' pass-rush duo was a bit overhyped heading into this season. Crosby is absolutely talented but he is no Joey Bosa. A lot of people would have victimized Storm Norton as Crosby did in Week 18 last season.
Jones also is no longer the same pass-rushing menace he once was. A closer look under the hood at his pressure numbers last season showcase that. After his Week 1 outburst against the Tennessee Titans, Jones had average pass-rush numbers.
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Rashawn Slater essentially shut Chandler Jones down for good and Trey Pipkins more than held his own on the right side of the line. It was a great first showing for the offense line and if Pipkins keeps playing this way then the sky is the limit for this offensive line.