3 Takeaways from Chargers' Week 4 Win

On Monday night, the Los Angeles Chargers moved to 3-1 with a decisive win over the rival Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders offense came into the game red-hot, having averaged 33.3 points per game over the first three weeks. It was shut out in the first half, however, as the Chargers built a lead they wouldn't surrender.

Though Las Vegas surged with two third-quarter touchdowns, L.A.'s 21-0 halftime lead was too much to overcome. The Chargers tacked on a fourth-quarter touchdown to seal it, and with a head-to-head win in the books, they now have first place in the AFC West.

The Chargers showed on Monday night that they can best any team in the division and that, even with a rookie head coach, they must be taken seriously in the conference race. Here's what else we learned during the Chargers' 28-14 win in Week 4.

Austin Ekeler Is a Star

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Running back Austin Ekeler has been both a nice story—he was an undrafted free agent in 2017—and a fantasy darling. However, he's never been a Pro Bowler or considered among the league's elite skill players.

That narrative, though, is going to have to change this season.

On a big stage against an opponent that had shown promise defensively, Ekeler was virtually unstoppable. He carried the ball 15 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. He added three receptions for 28 yards and another score.

Ekeler is now averaging 106 scrimmage yards and a touchdown per game. To say that he is a centerpiece of the Chargers offense would be an understatement. This was Ekeler's best game as a runner this season, which may be a sign that L.A.'s retooled offensive line is hitting its stride.

If this is the case, the Chargers are going to have a dangerously balanced offense down the stretch, with Justin Herbert leading the passing game and Ekeler leading the charge on the ground.

The Defense Is Coming Together

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We saw plenty of offensive magic from Herbert, Ekeler and Co. last season, but the Chargers defense left plenty to be desired. Los Angeles finished ranked 18th against the run, 23rd in points allowed and with just 27 sacks on the season.

While the run defense is still a weakness—L.A. ranks 29th in rushing yards allowed—the Chargers rank seventh in scoring defense and have logged nine sacks through the first month. They got to Derek Carr four times on Monday night, and constantly pressured the Raiders signal-caller.

"We knew once we hit him a few times, he really gets shook,” pass-rusher Joey Bosa said, per The Athletic's Vic Tafur. “And you saw on [Christian Covington's] sack, he was pretty much curling into a ball before we even got back there."

The Chargers are still vulnerable to the run, which may be an issue in matchups like next week's game against eh Cleveland Browns. When they can force opponents into passing situations, though, the Chargers have the pass-rushing potency to be a real problem defensively.

Justin Herbert Has Fully Arrived

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Herbert was nothing short of impressive during his Offensive-Rookie-of-the-Year campaign in 2020. He's proving this year that 2020 was no fluke. With a brilliant performance against the Raiders, Herbert showed a national audience that he is more than just a promising young signal-caller—he has arrived as an elite NFL quarterback.

Herbert finished 25-of-38 for 222 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers and a passer rating of 107.6. While the raw numbers might not impress everyone, it's worth noting that Herbert was magnificent when the game was still in question.

Herbert was 20-of-25 for 175 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Already this season, Herbert has thrown for 1,178 yards with nine touchdowns and three interceptions. While he's not quite on the level of Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers yet, he's getting close.

"Herbert is special," Bleacher Report's Brent Sobleski wrote after the game. "In Year 2 of his development, last year's sixth overall draft pick should already be considered one of the game's elite quarterbacks and a potential MVP candidate. His first-half performance placed the Chargers in a position to close out the game, and they did."

A performance like this is not an aberration, as Herbert is fully capable of taking over games. Regardless of the opponent or the venue, the Chargers are always going to have a chance with him under center.