The rivalry between the Chargers and Raiders has a new dimension to it this season.

Las Vegas hired longtime Jim Harbaugh foe Pete Carroll this offseason, reigniting one of the West Coast’s best coaching rivalries. The two men are currently locked in a 6-6 tie in 12 matchups between the NFL and college football.

Here’s a few reasons to be optimistic about Harbaugh’s chances to take the lead on Monday.

Offensive line woes

Las Vegas struggled to generate any running room for rookie Ashton Jeanty in Week 1, while right tackle DJ Glaze led the squad with 4 pressures allowed in the pass game. Khalil Mack usually plays at another level versus his former team and should line up against Glaze often. Combine all this with Jackson Powers-Johnson dealing with a concussion, and it feels as though LA should have the upper hand in the trenches when the Raiders have the ball.

Brock Bowers’ status

Bowers did not practice Thursday or Friday after suffering a knee injury last Sunday and told the media that he hopes to play, but his status remains unclear. The sophomore tight end is clearly the Raiders’ top option in the passing game, and his absence would elevate the importance of Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, and Michael Mayer. That group lacks a high-end star and could struggle mightily without Bowers on the field if he is unable to go.

Jeanty breakout defense

The Chargers held Kansas City running backs to just 10 carries for 41 yards last week in Brazil, and that was against a better offensive line than the Raiders have. Las Vegas, meanwhile, managed just 2.3 yards per carry last week against the Patriots’ front and struggled to get rookie Ashton Jeanty going. Los Angeles has a solid and deep rotation on the defensive line that should once again stifle a division opponent.

Regression to the mean

Raiders quarterback Geno Smith threw for 362 yards against the Patriots last week to make up for Las Vegas’ lack of a run game. That’s an aberration even before you consider that star Patriots corner Christian Gonzalez missed the game with a hamstring injury. With a healthy stable of corners at the Chargers’ disposal, Minter’s defensive unit should be able to hold Smith to a much lower total on Monday.

Rest advantage

While both teams have the extra day afforded to them by playing on Monday, Los Angeles adds an extra two days of rest after opening their season last Friday against the Chiefs. Some of that advantage will be eaten up by the travel back from Brazil, but the Chargers still have the better-rested team heading into Monday’s contest. This early into the season, even the thinnest of margins in that department could be impactful in deciding the outcome.