Below are 10 quick-hitting insights ahead of the Chargers' Week 4 matchup on "Monday Night Football" against the Las Vegas Raiders:
1) This Monday night at SoFi Stadium will mark the first Raiders-Chargers matchup since Dec. 8, 2002 where both teams enter the game above .500. The Chargers are seeking their first 2-0 start in the division since the 2012 season.
2) Entering Week 4, the Raiders' Derek Carr leads the NFL with 1,203 passing yards. Justin Herbert is fourth with 956 yards and was named FedEx Air Player of the Week after his four-touchdown performance in Kansas City. Here's a closer look at the quarterback matchup:
| Player | CM/AT | CM % | Yards | TD | INT | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | 88/126 | 69.8 | 956 | 6 | 3 | 97.9 |
| Derek Carr | 88/136 | 64.7 | 1,203 | 6 | 2 | 101.4 |
3) Both matchups last season were decided by a combined eight points. In Week 9, the Raiders won 31-26 in Los Angeles after a touchdown by tight end Donald Parham Jr. was overturned with one second remaining. On "Thursday Night Football" in Week 15, Herbert's one-yard touchdown rush in overtime sealed a 30-27 road victory for Los Angeles.
4) Herbert threw for over 300 yards and had a passer rating over 100 in both games against the Raiders in 2020:
| Justin Herbert vs. LV | CM/AT | CM % | Yards | TD | INT | RT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 9 | 28/42 | 66.67 | 326 | 2 | 0 | 105.9 |
| Week 15 | 22/32 | 68.75 | 314 | 2 | 0 | 121.1 |
5) The Chargers are seeking their first win on "Monday Night Football" since beating the Indianapolis Colts 19-9 on Oct. 14, 2013. Rookie wide receiver Keenan Allen caught nine passes for 107 yards and a touchdown – his second career score in the NFL.
6) Entering Week 4, Allen and Mike Williams are top 10 in the NFL in targets, receptions and receiving yards. Williams is tied for second in the NFL with four receiving touchdowns. Allen scored his first touchdown of 2021 last week in Kansas City.
7) In 13 games against the Raiders, Allen – the longest-tenured Chargers player – has 80 receptions for 904 yards and five touchdowns. He hauled in nine catches for 103 yards and a touchdown against Las Vegas last season at SoFi Stadium,.
8) Several former Chargers players and coaches are now in Silver and Black. Defensive coordinator Gus Bradley and linebackers coach Richard Smith held the same positions in Los Angeles from 2017-20. Defensive backs coach Ron Milus was with the Chargers from 2013-20. Former players include cornerback Casey Hayward Jr., linebacker Denzel Perryman, defensive tackles Darius Philon and Damion Square, and safety Roderic Teamer.
9) Chargers head coach Brandon Staley is from Perry, Ohio, roughly an hour and 40 minutes from Raiders head coach Jon Gruden's hometown of Sandusky, Ohio. Both Staley and Gruden played quarterback at the University of Dayton. Staley was a two-year starter and team captain from 2003-04.
10) Asante Samuel Jr. was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September. The first-year cornerback had two interceptions and four passes defensed. As a team, the Chargers have forced six turnovers through three games – tied for first in the AFC with the Bills and Colts. Only the Cowboys, Saints and Cardinals have more.
Check out the best photos from Asante Samuel Jr.'s NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month for September
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