3 Takeaways from Raiders' Week 4 Loss vs. Chargers

The Las Vegas Raiders fell to 1-3 with Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. However, the Raiders might have found a glimmer of hope along the way.

With Jimmy Garoppolo unable to clear concussion protocol by Sunday, rookie fourth-round pick Aidan O'Connell got the start for Las Vegas. He nearly delivered a storybook ending too.

With O'Connell mostly playing well, the Raiders went on a 10-0 second-half run, pulled within a touchdown and had 1st-and-goal with just over two minutes remaining before O'Connell's third turnover of the day ended Las Vegas' hopes.

It was far from a perfect outing for the rookie, and this loss will sting all week, but O'Connell didn't seem like an obvious downgrade from Garoppolo. He flashed just enough to suggest that he might just have a long-term future with the Raiders, even if he isn't a permanent answer.

Here's what we learned during the Raiders' 24-17 loss to the Chargers in Week 4.

Josh Jacobs Isn't All the Way Back, but He's Heading in the Right Direction

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Raiders RB Josh Jacobs is tackles by Chargers LB Kenneth Murray Jr.

A large chunk of the Raiders' offseason was dominated by running back Josh Jacobs and his contract drama. Jacobs was given the franchise tag and sat out the majority of training camp before returning on a revised one-year deal.

Jacobs' performance through the first three weeks—where he averaged just 2.4 yards per carry—gave some validation to Las Vegas' decision to not grant him a long-term extension.

After leading the league in rushing yards, scrimmage yards and touches, Jacobs hasn't looked like the same explosive back this season. However, we did see some glimpses of his 2022 form against L.A.

Though he was by no means dominant on the ground (3.4 yards per carry), Jacobs did more than enough to keep the Chargers' defense honest. He also provided an excellent safety net for Las Vegas' rookie quarterback.

Jacobs finished with 58 rushing yards, a rushing touchdown, eight receptions and 81 receiving yards.

It must be noted that the Chargers defense has been among the league's worst this season (31st overall through three weeks). However, this could be a sign that the two-time Pro Bowler is finally finding his groove after such a long offseason layoff and early-season struggles.

The Raiders may be close to bringing much-needed balance back to their offense.

Hunter Renfrow Needs to Go on the Trade Block Now

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Raiders WR Hunter Renfrow

Despite having a different quarterback under center, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow saw the same result he's seen all season. He was barely a part of the offensive game plan.

Coming into Sunday, the 2021 Pro Bowler had been targeted just three times in three games—even though he caught all three passes and provided a 118.7 passer rating when targeted, according to Pro Football Reference.

It was fair to wonder if it was a lack of chemistry with Garoppolo or his fit in Josh McDaniels' system that was affecting Renfrow's usage. To his credit, Renfrow has never complained.

"For me, it's more so just controlling what I can every single day because I don't make decisions, right?" Renfrow said, per The Athletic's Tashan Reed.

Even with Garoppolo out, Renfrow was targeted four times but finished with just two catches for 12 yards—all of them coming on his final catch. It's becoming more clear that while Garoppolo may not be keen on targeting Renfrow, the 27-year-old is struggling to find open space in McDaniels' scheme too.

Renfrow, who could be a 2024 cap casualty, just isn't a good fit for this offense or the current roster. With the October 31 trade deadline looming, it's time for the Raiders to make Renfrow available.

Aidan O'Connell Deserves More Opportunities

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Aidan O'Connell

There's a subset of Raiders fans that will want to see no more of O'Connell after his game-sealing interception. However, the rookie played well enough to suggest that he deserves more opportunities moving forward.

The three turnovers were rough, but O'Connell still threw for 238 yards and rushed for a touchdown. He showed a good grasp of the offense and never crumbled, despite being under heavy pressure under an underperforming offensive line.

O'Connell was sacked seven times, six times by former Raider Khalil Mack alone.

Would the Raiders have won this game with a healthy Garoppolo? Perhaps, but it's not a given. While Garoppolo might have done a better job of avoiding pressure, he is himself turnover-prone (six INTs in three games).

McDaniels will likely turn back to Garoppolo once he's healthy, but barring a surprising turnaround, Las Vegas will eventually fall from playoff contention. When that happens, the Raiders owe it to themselves to see what O'Connell has to offer.

Las Vegas knows what it has in journeyman backup Brian Hoyer, and it knows that Garoppolo is a stopgap at best. It needs to figure out what O'Connell could be before diving head-first into the 2024 quarterback class.