Last Week: Raiders 31, Dolphins 28
It took every second of regulation and overtime, but the Raiders eventually got past the Dolphins on Daniel Carlson’s game-winning 22-yard field goal. The franchise now sits at 3-0 for the first time since 2002, also the last year it won a postseason game. Las Vegas outplayed Miami far more than the score indicated, racking up a 497-330 yardage advantage, but repeatedly made careless mistakes to keep the game close. The Raiders rallied in overtime partly behind unsung running back Peyton Barber, a recent pickup off the Washington Football Team’s practice squad who set up the game-winner after tallying a career-high 111 rushing yards.
This Week: Raiders (3-0) at Chargers (2-1)
When: Monday, October 4, 5:15 p.m.
Where: SoFi Stadium
TV: ESPN
Radio: 920-AM, KOMP-92.3
Betting line: Chargers -3.5, over/under: 52.5
Matchup: AFC West play begins for the Raiders on their second and final Monday Night Football appearance of the year. Both games against the Chargers came down to the final play last year—Las Vegas won 31-26 on the road and lost 30-27 at home—and the teams appear evenly matched once again. Derek Carr leads the NFL in passing after completing 88 of 136 attempts for 1,203 yards through three weeks, but the Chargers’ second-year quarterback Justin Herbert has also been prolific, ranking fourth in the NFL with 956 yards on 88-for-126 passing. The Chargers are a last-second field goal against the Cowboys away from being undefeated.
Raider to Watch: Cornerback Casey Hayward Jr.
Las Vegas will need its top coverage player to keep up his impressive start to the season against his former team. Hayward, who signed with the Raiders after five years with the Chargers, is the top-graded cornerback in the league by Pro Football Focus. He hadn’t allowed a reception all year until the first quarter against Miami, when he then stuffed a screen to Jaylen Waddle for a safety on the same play.
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