The Los Angeles Chargers' 2021 season ended in excruciating fashion with a 35-32 Week 18 overtime loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, dropping them out of the playoffs.
Justin Herbert and Co. don't have to wait long for a chance at redemption with schedule-makers pitting the division rivals against each other to open Week 1 on Sunday.
"I know personally, I've been thinking about this one for the past six or seven months, however long it's been. I know that everyone else has as well," Herbert said this week, via the Associated Press. "For everyone to show up during OTAs, I thought that was huge growth for our team. We believe in each other just like the front office believes in us."
Both the Chargers and Raiders underwent big changes in the offseason that will give Sunday's rematch new flavor.
After being unable to slow Vegas in that final game, L.A. made big splashes on defense, trading for Khalil Mack and signing cornerback J.C. Jackson (who isn't expected to play Week 1 after ankle surgery), among six new starters on D.
The Raiders had even more seismic changes, with new coach Josh McDaniels, receiver Davante Adams and edge rusher Chandler Jones joining the crew.
"We've watched that game, we've seen it. As you know, the scheme on their end may be a little bit more similar to that game than ours will be," McDaniels said. "I think there's been so much change relative to the personnel on both sides. They have a new team, we have a new team, like there is every year."
Sunday's season opener will be our first taste of how these "new teams" will look in the 2022 campaign.
