3 Raiders Defensive Players Who Will Need To Shine Vs. Chargers

The new players brought in this past offseason have had an immediate impact on the Raiders, and one, in particular, is ready to face his former team and deliver a victory for the Raiders.

A second-round pick by the Chargers in 2015, Perryman was traded from the Carolina Panthers to Las Vegas near the preseason’s end. An instant contributor, he has accumulated 36 combined tackles through three games. In comparison to last season, Perryman had 48 combined tackles for the whole year. During Week 3’s matchup with the Miami Dolphins, Perryman had 14 total tackles. He was flying around the field and making his presence known.

In this meeting with his former team, Perryman will want to show the Chargers that they made a mistake. So, what better place to do than on Monday Night Football. Perryman has familiarity with the Chargers, but with the Chargers’ new staff, who knows how much insight he will have, but he still was around the players and organization for six seasons, so he will be looking to bring it.

Moehrig has been a Day 1 starter since the draft. A second-round choice, Moehrig has shown flashes of first-round talent in the early going. Except for being on the wrong end of a Baltimore Ravens’ touchdown in Week 1, he’s been solid. 

Moehrig has nine total tackles and has been on the field for almost every defensive play. He missed a few against the Dolphins after a hit in the fourth quarter. Now against the Chargers, Moehrig faces a team with a quarterback in Justin Herbert who likes to throw deep and has a slew of weapons to help him. The Chargers are riding high after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs, which included a game-winning drive led by Herbert. 

The Raiders defense has its work cut out, and for Moehrig, this will be another test worth keeping an eye on. He’s shown his football I.Q. just three games in. but will it be enough to make Herbert hesitant on deep throws? Per ESPN, Herbert averaged 320 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions in two games versus the Silver and Black. What a sight it would be if Moehrig nabbed his first interception on Monday Night Football?

The fifth-round pick has become a fan favorite with his play and heart. Hobbs showed up with a chip on his shoulder and is playing the nickel position better than expected. According to ESPN, Hobbs has been credited with 11 total tackles and is rarely out of position. There have been many instances where Hobbs is one on one with the opposing teams’ receivers, and he brings them down. On a screen pass late against the Dolphins, Hobbs came off a block and made the tackle on the explosive Jaylen Waddle for no gain. That tackle highlights the ability of Hobbs to tackle in the open field. 

His coverage again hasn’t been an issue. Right now, per Pro Football Focus, Hobbs has a coverage grade of 79.9 which is fifth best in the league. The Chargers come in riding high and with a lot of weapons, so Hobbs and the defense need to be ready. If Hobbs has a good game, it will go a long way to make it four out of five for the Raiders against the rival Chargers.