Which Raiders players helped or hurt the team the most in Week 2?
There isn’t much to get excited about whenever a team fails to score a touchdown at home against a division rival.
That was the case for the Raiders in their 20-9 loss to the Chargers on Monday at Allegiant Stadium.
There was a lot of room for improvement across the board. But it wasn’t all bad for the Raiders, either.
Here are three players who helped or hurt the cause Monday:
Helped
Jonah Laulu
The second-year defensive tackle was a force in the middle of the line of scrimmage with four tackles, including three for a loss, and two sacks.
“I think this is a defense that’s going to come together and continue to be really difficult on our opponents,” coach Pete Carroll said. “The running game has not been the issue at all. We’ve been able to get some rush. We made some plays.”
Jeremy Chinn
The safety had six tackles, one for a loss, and one pass breakup while playing his typical Swiss Army knife role on defense.
He helped the Raiders hold the Chargers to 20 points despite three turnovers from the offense.
“I thought the whole night was good defense. I thought they rose to the occasions,” Carroll said. “So I think that’s a positive side of what we’ve shown in the first couple of weeks.”
Dylan Laube
The second-year running back got involved in the offense and caught two passes for 17 yards.
Laube, a 2024 sixth-round pick, is a quick, versatile player who can make plays as a runner and a receiver. But his opportunities have been few and far between. That could change after Monday.
Laube also had a tackle on special teams.
Hurt
Geno Smith
Smith, a normally accurate passer, completed just 24 of his 43 passes for 180 yards and three interceptions Monday.
It was a polar opposite performance from the one he put together in the Raiders’ season opener, when he threw for 362 yards in a win over the Patriots.
“I’m going to be super hard on myself because that’s all I know,” Smith said. “I’m going to get better this week. I’m going to find ways to get better from this film, and we’ll be better as a team as well.”
Ashton Jeanty
Jeanty, the No. 6 overall pick in April’s draft, gained just 43 yards on 11 carries against the Chargers. He also went the wrong way on a run play at one point and was not as sharp in pass protection as he was in his NFL debut.
“We’re just getting started,” Carroll said. “He’s breaking into the NFL, just figuring it out.”
Tyree Wilson
Wilson, the No. 7 overall pick in 2023, was a non-factor in Monday’s game. The defensive end did not have a tackle or quarterback hit.
Contact Vincent Bonsignore at vbonsignore@reviewjournal.com. Follow @VinnyBonsignore on X.