In the season opener for both teams, the San Diego Chargers went into the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum on Monday night and came out with an impressive victory over the Oakland Raiders, 22-14. John Pagano, in his debut as an NFL coordinator, called an impressive game, which helped the Chargers secure the win.
Chargers Vs. Raiders, Week 1: Pagano Impresses With His Defensive Schemes
As such, Bolts From The Blue blogger, John Gennaro, feels that Pagano is most deserving of Monday night’s game ball:
However, I think I’m handing the game ball to Defensive Coordinator John Pagano. In his first game, he was able to corral Darren McFadden on the ground and was able to put pressure on Carson Palmer when it mattered. Without Pagano calling some Prevent Defense toward the end of the fourth quarter, the Raiders wouldn’ve never scored a touchdown. That’s an impressive achievement for John’s first game calling plays.
Of course, the Chargers still have a lot to work on, like the running game -- San Diego rushed for 32 total yards on 20 carries -- so they’re not as dependent on the arm of Phillip Rivers to move the ball, but a season opening victory over a division rival is still sweet, nonetheless.
For more on the San Diego Chargers, head over to Bolts From The Blue. For the Raiders side of the story, check out Silver and Black Pride. For more on the league in general, please check out SB Nation’s dedicated NFL hub.
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