The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Los Angeles Chargers 26-14 on Sunday at SoFi Stadium behind Kirk Cousins' 3 touchdown passes. Las Vegas averaged 8 yards per pass to the Chargers' 6, and that efficiency outweighed a Raiders running game that went nowhere.

The Chargers ran more plays, held the ball longer and narrowly outgained the Raiders, 310 yards to 305. Every Las Vegas point in the second half still came after Los Angeles had taken its only lead.

How It Happened

Neither team scored in the first quarter. Las Vegas broke through at 11:51 of the second when Cousins hit Tre Tucker for a 40-yard touchdown.

The Chargers answered at 5:26 with a 1-yard Omarion Hampton touchdown run to tie it at 7. Matt Gay then hit a 59-yard field goal with 4 seconds left in the half, sending the Raiders into the break up 10-7.

Los Angeles took its only lead at 9:49 of the third quarter. Justin Herbert found Oronde Gadsden for a 10-yard touchdown, and the Chargers led 14-10.

It lasted less than six minutes. Cousins threw a 13-yard touchdown to Cody White at 3:53, and Las Vegas went back in front 17-14.

The Raiders put it away in the fourth. White caught his second touchdown, an 11-yarder from Cousins, at 2:59. A Raiders safety at 1:41 closed the scoring at 26-14.

Key Performers

Kirk Cousins, Raiders: 3 TD passes (40, 13 and 11 YDS)
Raiders passing: 19-29, 248 net YDS, 1 INT
Cody White, Raiders: 2 TD catches (13 and 11 YDS)
Tre Tucker, Raiders: 40-YD TD catch
Matt Gay, Raiders: 59-YD field goal, 3 extra points
Chargers passing: 15-27, 183 net YDS, 2 INT
Chargers rushing: 32 ATT, 127 YDS, 1 TD

Cousins made the throws that mattered. Three of the Raiders' scores came through the air, and their passing attack produced far more yardage than the Chargers' did.

White was the second-half difference. His first touchdown put Las Vegas back in front, and his second came with the Raiders holding only a 3-point lead.

What It Means

The Raiders are 2-0, with one win at home and one on the road. They did it here without a running game, managing just 57 rushing yards at 2 yards per carry. The passing game carried the offense.

The Chargers are 0-2, and both losses have come at home. The frustrating part for Los Angeles is that the offense moved the ball well on the ground, rushing at 4 yards a carry and converting both red zone trips into touchdowns.

Ball security was the other problem. The Chargers threw 2 interceptions and lost a fumble, while Las Vegas lost no fumbles and threw only 1 interception.

Third down was a wash, with the Raiders converting 4 of 14 and the Chargers 5 of 14. Los Angeles ran the ball better and finished every red zone trip, but Las Vegas threw it better and gave it away less, and that combination was enough.