Dating back to 2021, the Las Vegas Raiders have only beaten the Los Angeles Chargers 3 times. They’re a divisional rival and have had much more regular-season success than the Raiders, but that’s no excuse for them to have this bad a record against a team they should be extremely familiar with.
The Raiders bringing in Klint Kubiak wasn’t only a move to get the hottest offensive mind in the league in their building, but also a candidate who can step up to the greatness of the other head coaches that reside in the AFC West. What are some ways they can improve their chances of beating the Chargers in 2026?
Starting Early
The Raiders have been matched up against the Chargers in the first two weeks of the season for two years in a row, and that trend continues in 2026. After their season opener against the Miami Dolphins at home, their first road game will be in Los Angeles against the Chargers.
This will be Kubiak’s first taste of AFC West divisional football, against a head coach with a similar mindset when it comes to running the ball. Jim Harbaugh is going to want to run the football, and I think this matchup will come down to which team can establish its run game first.
Pounding the Rock
The Chargers’ receiving room leaves a lot to be desired, and with an improved Raiders secondary, I don’t see their passing attack getting much traction. I predict Kubiak will also wanna play it safe to secure a victory, and what better way to control the pace of a game than to run the football?
Ashton Jeanty needs to have a big game if the Raiders want to start gaining ground against the Chargers. In 2025, Jeanty had 26 rushes for 74 yards against the Chargers, with his longest run in either game only being 13 yards. He has an improved offensive line, so there’s no excuse for him not to get it going.
Against the Chargers’ defense, Geno Smith threw 2 touchdowns to 4 interceptions, including a putrid 3-interception performance in their week 2 matchup. I think that Kirk Cousins will have a better time getting the ball to his weapons, with an improved offensive scheme thanks to Kubiak.
I believe the Chargers are set to regress in 2026, and the Raiders can cement that early by beating them at home. They can kick off 2026 with two victories if they play their cards right, which would be a massive improvement from last season.
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