TC Martin

Raiders 2-0, Hope is Alive  

​​​​​

You like that? Raiders fans all over might be chanting Kirk Cousins' unofficial slogan for at least the next week after the quarterback threw for three more touchdowns, powering Las Vegas to a 26-14 road victory over the Los Angeles Chargers at a pro-Silver & Black crowd at So-Fi Stadium. 

 

With the win the Raiders improved to 2-0 under first-year head coach, Klint Kubiak. The Raiders had not started the season with two consecutive wins since 2021.

 

Las Vegas played solid defense against Los Angeles, picking up some timely takeaways. Omarion Hampton had another game-changing fumble, coughing the ball up on a fourth-quarter run up the middle with the Chargers trailing 17-14.  The Raiders scored a couple of plays later with Cousins’ third touchdown pass, going up by 24-14 with 2:59 remaining. 

​

After Justin Herbert’s second interception of the game, Joe Alt closed a bad day with a holding penalty in the end zone for a safety to close out the scoring.  Alt had previously been flagged for three false start penalties, despite the Chargers playing at home.

​

Herbert finished the contest 15 for 27 for 192 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also had three of the Chargers’ six fumbles on the day, though the team did not lose possession on any of them.  Hampton had 94 yards on 23 carries with a touchdown.

​

But on the other side, Cousins was 19-of-29 for 253 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Tre Tucker was his top target, catching five passes for 119 yards. Two of Tucker’s catches went for at least 40 yards, including a long touchdown in the first quarter to open the scoring.

​

Cousins is now just the second quarterback in franchise history to have at least three touchdown passes in each of the club’s first two games, joining Ken Stabler from 1976.

Kubiak has become the fourth coach in franchise history to win each of his first two games, joining Al Davis, John Madden, and Bill Callahan.

​

At 2-0, the Raiders will again be on the road in Week 3 as they play the Saints in New Orleans.