Getty Justin Herbert with Maxx Crosby at the NFL Pro Bowl.
The rivalries in the AFC West have always been among the tensest in the NFL but things could get even tenser this season. The Las Vegas Raiders, Los Angeles Chargers, Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs all have a chance to win the division. The Chiefs have won the division for six straight years but the run could be coming to an end. The Raiders and Chargers both had winning records last season and could’ve both made the playoffs had Las Vegas let the final game of the season end in a tie. Instead, the team kicked a game-winning field goal that sent Los Angeles home packing.
That moment should make the rivalry even fierier this upcoming season. It’s safe to say that Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has no love for the Raiders. Unfortunately for him, he can’t escape the fans of the team. Kevin Atlas is a TikTok user who went to extreme lengths just to prank the quarterback. He went to a Chargers event wearing a Herbert jersey and had a chance to catch a pass from him. After he caught the pass, he took off the Herbert jersey to reveal a Raiders Maxx Crosby jersey.
Needless to say, Raiders fans loved the prank while Herbert didn’t look particularly pleased.
Raiders Fr have the best fans 💀💀💀
Herbert isn’t even safe from Raiders fans in the offseason or at home games as the silver and black still have a massive following in Los Angeles.
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Do Raiders Still Have Edge Over Chargers?
Raiders fans have a lot of ammo to use against the Chargers fans right now considering how last season ended. Las Vegas finished with a better record while sending the rival home packing without a playoff berth. However, the rivalry is just starting to heat up.
The Chargers have made big moves this offseason by trading for Khalil Mack and signing J.C. Jackson. The Mack trade definitely hit a sore spot with Raiders fans as he used to be the team’s best player. Seeing him play against the Raiders twice a year won’t be fun for fans. While Los Angeles has made big moves, so has Las Vegas. The Raiders added Chandler Jones and Davante Adams. Overall, the Chargers could still have the more talented roster but head coach Brandon Staley made some serious errors last season. He could hold the team back from reaching its full potential.
Raiders Fans Have to Be Excited for Season
The offseason got off to a rocky start for Raiders fans. Many of them wanted the team either retain Rich Bisaccia as head coach or bring in Jim Harbaugh. Instead, the team threw a curveball and hired Josh McDaniels. The move wasn’t immediately met with praise from the fan base.
Luckily, there’s a reason fans don’t make these decisions. McDaniels is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL and he now has amazing weapons to work with in Adams, Darren Waller and Hunter Renfrow. This has been the most exciting offseason for the team in recent memory and fans should be looking forward to the season starting up.
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