Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kirk Cousins connected with wide receiver Cody White for a go-ahead 13-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter and an 11-yard score during the fourth, leading the Raiders to a 26-14 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers in their AFC West opener at SoFi Stadium, according to the Associated Press.
Cousins and White Fuel Raiders’ Offense
Cousins finished the game completing 19 of 29 pass attempts for 253 yards, throwing three touchdowns and one interception while absorbing two sacks, as reported by the Associated Press. With the performance, Cousins joined Ken Stabler from the 1976 season as the only quarterbacks in Raiders history to throw three or more touchdown passes in each of their first two games of a season. White, who was elevated from the practice squad just a day prior to the matchup, secured his first career multi-touchdown game. Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak praised Cousins’ impact, noting that the veteran signal-caller has been phenomenal.
Chargers Struggle with Turnovers and Penalties
Los Angeles dropped to 0-2 on the season following a contest marked by ball-security issues and costly miscues. According to the Associated Press, the Chargers were undone by six fumbles. Quarterback Justin Herbert completed 15 of 26 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions while taking three sacks. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh acknowledged the team’s struggles in execution, stating that they are losing in the margins and need to fix those issues. Offensive tackle Joe Alt added to the offensive stall by committing three false-start penalties and an offensive holding call.
Defensive Turnovers Seal the AFC West Win
The Raiders capitalized on late-game defensive plays to secure the road win. According to Associated Press reporting, safety Jeremy Chinn recovered a fumble forced from Omarion Hampton and returned it 43 yards to the Chargers 16-yard line with 3:52 remaining in the fourth quarter. Cousins and the Raiders offense capitalized immediately, executing a brief three-play drive that concluded with White’s second touchdown reception of the afternoon to extend the lead to 24-14.
