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The previous one Los Angeles Charger Star Shawne Merriman brought opponents to the attention after defeating the Las Vegas Raiders 20-9 on Monday night, improving 2-0 this season.
Merriman told Fox News Digital in a recent interview that the team’s all-round performance shows that they are real contenders for conference champions.
“If someone doesn’t believe they’re going to be a competitor, not only in the AFC West, but in the AFC in general, you don’t pay attention.” “First of all, Jim Harbaugh Justin Herbert’s The first year was stable, his head coach, the same offensive coordinator, you know, the same, the same. He hasn’t been that way since he played with the charger. Every year, he has to learn something new. ”
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Los Angeles Charger quarterback Justin Herbert (10) handed over to Los Angeles Charger (22) on September 15, 2025 at Najee Harris (22) in Allegiant Stadium. (kiyoshi mio/imagn image)
Herbert gave the Raiders 242 yards and two touchdowns in the first season, with his offensive coordinator playing the same offensive coordinator as Joe Lombardi in 2021 and 2022, while Brandon Staley was the head coach. From Harbaugh as head coach, he has been serving as offensive coordinator last season to this season as Greg Roman.
Merriman also touted the way the entire team was built, and they no longer had to rely on Herbert to try to get all the games to win.
“Now, you have a team that no longer depends on Justin Herbert to win,” he said. “If he does a great job, it’s great.
For the past nine years, the Kansas City Chiefs have been the cream of the AFC Western crop. But into week 3, they found themselves starting 0-2.
Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston (1) celebrates a touchdown against the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half of the NFL football game in Las Vegas on Monday, September 15, 2025. (AP Photo/David Becker)
Merriman noted that the Chiefs no longer rely on Patrick Mahomes to do everything for them and have to address loopholes in their team and aging stars.
“It’s not a knock on the Chiefs at all, but you can only rely on Patrick Mahomes for so long. We’ve seen some of the greatest quarterbacks in the business,” he told Fox News Digital. “How long have we seen with Aaron Rodgers? They didn’t give him the number one catcher. They didn’t have people around him. They just said, ‘Hey, you’re Aaron Rodgers. That’s what you can bring to you because you can win a lot of games with a great quarterback.”
“Travis Kelce is probably the greatest or top three biggest three games ever, but he’s like the rest of us. He’s getting old. He can’t do what he did five years ago. Xavier deserves a shoulder fall. They don’t have a deep threat right now. They don’t have a deep threat right now. They can’t run out of football effectively now. But, they’re still a good team.
Los Angeles Chargers’ Safety Tony Jefferson (23) intercepted the Las Vegas Raiders in the first half of the NFL football game in Las Vegas on Monday, September 15, 2025. (AP Photo/David Becker)
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Chargers will open the home game against Sunday Denver Bramble.
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