Herbert, Chargers Will 'Have Their Hands Full' vs. Cousins, Raiders After Cardinals Loss, Says Coach

After the Los Angeles Chargers opened the 2026 season with a surprising 26-14 loss to the Arizona Cardinals, some around the NFL are losing confidence in their chances of being successful going forward.

The Athletic's Mike Sando spoke to an NFL coach who suggested that the Chargers could be in for another tough test in their Week 2 matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders.

"They are going to have their hands full with the Raiders next week, because the Raiders are organized, they have a veteran quarterback and their defensive front is decent," the coach said.

Sando noted that the Cardinals entered Week 1 as "the heaviest underdog (+10.5) by far." Still, they managed to limit Chargers star quarterback Justin Herbert to just 209 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 17-of-27 passing while sacking him three times.

The Raiders defeated the Miami Dolphins 27-13 on Sunday behind a three-touchdown performance from veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins. While Las Vegas is in the midst of a rebuild, it's clear that the team has enough talent to be competitive.

The Chargers will need to bounce back in Week 2, as they will face a tough slate after that with matchups against the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens, five of which are on the road. If they can't beat the Raiders, they won't have any chance against the NFL's elite squads.