LOS ANGELES (AP) – Derek Carr and Justin Herbert have shown a surge of late returns in the first three weeks of the season. It’s likely one of them will be called up again when the Las Vegas Raiders visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.

Carr and the Raiders are making their first 3-0 start since 2002, when they last played in the Super Bowl, with two overtime wins. Las Vegas is the fourth team to win twice in overtime in the first three weeks.

The Chargers’ 2-1 wins were the result of Herbert leading the winning controls in the final 15 minutes.

Carr leads the league with 1,203 passing yards, each of his six touchdown passes going to a different receiver. He has managed at least 325 yards in five straight games since last season.

Carr also has one of the deepest receiving groups in the league. Four players have at least 200 yards, the first time in NFL history that has occurred in the first three games.

Darren Waller is tied for the AFC’s lead in tight ends with 20 receptions and Henry Ruggs III is averaging 21.5 yards per catch.

“Derek is playing at an extremely high level,” Chargers coach Brandon Staley said. “They really surrounded him with a complete attack. They have weapons in all areas.

Herbert is fourth in the league with 956 passing yards and quickly embraced the offensive plan implemented by coordinator Joe Lombardi. Keenan Allen and Mike Williams are one of two duos to have 250 or more receiving yards. Williams, who has become Herbert’s favorite target in the short passing game, has caught a touchdown in four straight games.

“It’s hard to just start the scramble on this guy because they allow him to scramble and he will hurt you,” Raiders coach Jon Gruden said of Herbert. “If you don’t protect the pocket and you have a lot of cover the field against Williams and Keenan and all their guns, this guy is going to drop the ball and he’ll really hurt you. We got injured last week with a few games of scrambling, so we have to be very careful about our rush.

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Last year’s two games were in the final, with each team winning on the road. The Raiders were off to a 31-26 victory when the restart reversed Herbert’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Donald Parham. Herbert took revenge later in the season when he slipped a yard into overtime to win 30-27.

AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME

Monday night’s game takes place at the Chargers’ new home in Hollywood Park, but it might feel like a Raiders home game, as Los Angeles remains home to many Raiders fans. The Chargers’ first home game in front of the fans two weeks ago against Dallas saw Cowboys fans outnumber Chargers fans by at least a 6-to-1 margin.

200 CLUB

After targeting tight end Waller 19 times in Game 1, Raiders QB Derek Carr has done a good job spreading the ball over the past two weeks. Young receivers Henry Ruggs III, Bryan Edwards and Hunter Renfrow all made big plays. These four are the receivers over 200 yards.

MEETING GAME

The Raiders made a big defensive leap early in the season with the help of a few former Chargers. Coordinator Gus Bradley’s system allowed the Raiders to play faster and exert constant blitz-free pressure to neutralize opposing attacks. Linebacker Denzel Perryman solidified the midfield and leads the team with 36 tackles. Cornerback Casey Hayward rebounded from a 2020 drop with the Chargers to stop opposing receivers, allowing just three catches in the first three weeks.

THE ROKIES AT THE CORNER

Of the six rookie cornerbacks who played 100 or more snaps, Asante Samuel Jr. of Los Angeles and Nate Hobbs of Las Vegas were the only ones not allowed a touchdown.

Samuel Jr. was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Month in September after collecting assists in the last two games. The second-round pick is the second drafted player after the first round to get multiple picks in September before turning 22 since 1982.

Hobbs and Samuel Jr. have both been targeted 12 times in three games.

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AP Pro Football writer Josh Dubow contributed to this report.

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