The Chargers concluded their preparations for their season opener against the Raiders in Oakland on Monday with a walk-through practice on Saturday morning.

“It’s exciting,” coach Norv Turner said of opening up the regular season. “Everything you do, every weight you lift, every meeting you have, every tape you watch, you do it for those 16 days.”

Brown relaxed: RB Ronnie Brown will start in place of RB Ryan Mathews (clavicle). Brown was in good spirits on Saturday and said he is not worried about using Monday night as a stage to prove he still has it.

“When you try to do too much you start thinking outside of the game and put a lot of pressure on yourself,” Brown said. “I just feel like if I play within the system and I am comfortable enough being in there, good things can happen.”

Possible split of reps: NT Antonio Garay is listed as questionable. If Garay does not play, Aubrayo Franklin will likely receive the start, but will share reps with Cam Thomas. Franklin started the last three games of the preseason in place of Garay.

Kaeding tips his hat: Nate Kaeding is the NFL’s most-accurate kicker of all-time (.865), but he says Raiders K Sebastian Janikowski has a much stronger leg. “I think [Janikowski] has a leg that is in different league,” Kaeding said. “You set us down and see who is going to kick it further, I think 99 times out of 100 he is going to hit it further, maybe 100 out of 100.”

Goodman to return: WR-KR Richard Goodman will handle the majority of kickoff returns, while WR-KR Micheal Spurlock will primarily block.

“I really feel great about [Goodman] being a returner and me having an opportunity to go block for him,” Spurlock said. “Nine times out of 10 I want him to have the ball, just because I know what he can do with it. But if I get it, I’ve done it. So it’s just a great opportunity for both of us to be back there and make plays.”

Goodman had a 105-yard kickoff return for a TD against the Raiders in their last game, but was sidelined with a groin injury for most of preseason. He played in every game last season and ranked fourth in the NFL with a 27.5-yard kickoff return average.

Injury report: Jared Gaither (back) and RB Ryan Mathews (clavicle) are out. NT Antonio Garay (foot) is questionable.

Preview from a Chargers perspective: Chargers Game Preview, Week 1 vs. Raiders

Preview from a Raiders perspective: Raiders Game Preview,  Week 1 vs. Chargers

Follow Chargers reporter Dan McLellan on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLSD and @sandiegosports.

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