LAS VEGAS — Geno Smith dropped back to pass on the first play of the game, with the Las Vegas Raiders facing a first-and-10 at their own 24-yard line. He intended to connect with wide receiver Tre Tucker to his right, but Chargers safety Alohi Gilman was first to the ball and tipped it into the air.

Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley raced onto the scene and snared the ball, the first of their three interceptions of Smith. As tone-setters go, it was all the Chargers could have hoped for Monday night at a raucous Allegiant Stadium, and it propelled them to a 20-9 victory over the Raiders.

“That was pretty cool,” Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert would later say.

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The Chargers (2-0) never trailed the Raiders (1-1) and were never in jeopardy. They can go for a three-game sweep of the AFC West with a victory over the Denver Broncos on Sunday at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers last started a season with a 3-0 record in 2002.

By the end of Monday night, the Chargers’ defenders seemed to be everywhere all at once. They limited Smith to 24-of-43 passing for 180 yards and the Raiders to 218 total net yards of offense. Smith didn’t complete a single pass that traveled in the air for 10 yards or more, and the Chargers deflected 15 of his throws.

Eight different Chargers got their hands on his passes.

Defensive backs Tony Jefferson, in the second quarter, and Donte Jackson, in the fourth, also intercepted Smith. Jefferson’s pick came on what proved to be the Raiders’ final play of the first half. Jackson’s pick, the 20th of his career, ended the Raiders’ last-best chance to score a touchdown.

Daniel Carlson kicked three field goals to account for the Raiders’ scoring.

It was the second consecutive game and the eighth in Jesse Minter’s 19-game tenure as the Chargers’ defensive coordinator that they held the opposition without a first-half touchdown. Not surprisingly, they are 8-0 in those games, including victories over the Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs to start 2025.

“Jesse called a masterpiece of a game,” head coach Jim Harbaugh said. “He did a great job. (Defensive backs coach Steve) Clinkscale, (safeties coach Adam) Fuller, I mean, all the defensive coaches, it was a gem. They were the guardians of victory for our team (Monday night).

“At times, it felt like there were more than 11 out there, especially in the secondary, which led to some coverage sacks, which led to those fourth-down stops, which is tough to do. Geno is a baller. He’s as good as they are in the league, and for us to get three interceptions, really incredible plays, too.”

Las Vegas was 0 for 2 on fourth-down conversions.

However, the Chargers lost All-Pro outside linebacker Khalil Mack to an arm injury on the final play of the first quarter. Mack was hurt when he collided with a teammate while attempting to make a tackle. He ran to the bench holding his left arm and then headed to the locker room.

Mack was later ruled out for the remainder of the game. Bud Dupree replaced him in a defense that was already shorthanded after linebacker Denzel Perryman was placed on injured reserve because of an ankle injury he sustained in the first quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener.

Harbaugh said he would know more about Mack’s injury later this week.

Henley came down with an illness and was listed as questionable to play in the hours leading up to the game. He was on the field when the game began, though, and had four first-half tackles plus his interception as the Chargers held the Raiders to two field goals by Carlson while taking a 17-6 lead.

Despite needing hits of oxygen while on the sideline, Henley led the Chargers with 10 tackles, including one of their three sacks of Smith. When reporters were granted access to the locker room after the game, Henley was seated on the floor, still in his uniform, with a towel draped over his head.

“We just didn’t know,” Harbaugh said of Henley’s availability. “He had a fever and, you know, once you start playing the medicine was out there on the field. It was great to see him have the game that he had. I said he was a rising star, a superstar, and I’m so proud and happy for him. He played incredible.”

In the final analysis, the Chargers’ defense overshadowed all that Herbert and his offensive teammates accomplished while all but silencing what was a boisterous crowd of 62,526 for the Raiders’ home opener. Herbert completed 19 of 27 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns.

Herbert connected on touchdown passes of 10 yards to Keenan Allen in the first quarter and 60 yards to Quentin Johnston in the second. Herbert started by misfiring on four of his first five throws, but by halftime he found his rhythm and was finding open targets all over the field.

“Composure,” Allen said when asked for the biggest difference in Herbert’s play since Allen rejoined the Chargers after spending last season with the Chicago Bears. “Just knowing everything about everything. Since I first got here (this past spring), he’s been lights out in his play-calls.”