Following a crucial Los Angeles Chargers (9-4) 22-19 overtime victory against the suddenly fading Philadelphia Eagles (8-5) from SoFi Stadium on Monday night to keep the Bolts’ playoff hopes in good standing, here are ‘Good, Bad, and the Ugly’ areas of their performance.
To preface the trio of categories, let’s understand the importance of Monday night’s win concerning the AFC playoff picture.
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According to ESPN, the Chargers have approximately a 79% chance of making the NFL playoffs and currently hold the No. 5 seed in the AFC. However, that position is razor-thin with Buffalo boasting the same record and Houston lurking one game behind.
Monday’s win kept the Bolts ahead of the Bills (via tiebreaker based on best win percentage in conference games) and the surging Texans, while also significantly damaging the Chiefs’ playoff hopes, which are now at a bleak 11% probability.
If the Chargers defeat the Chiefs in their Week 15 matchup, Kansas City will officially miss the NFL playoffs for the first time since 2014.
Now onto the breakdown.
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Good: Clutch Defense
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 08: Tony Jefferson #23 of the Los Angeles Chargers intercepts a pass intended for Jahan Dotson #2 of the Philadelphia Eagles during overtime at SoFi Stadium on December 08, 2025 in Inglewood, California. The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Philadelphia Eagles 22-19. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
While some could chalk this up to the absolutely putrid performance from Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurts and the playcalling of lackluster offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, the Chargers’ defense was honestly what kept them competitive.
While Los Angeles’ defense recorded only one sack on nine quarterback pressures and allowed Hurts to throw for 240 yards, they found a way to step up in critical situations, forcing four interceptions and one fumble recovery.
Despite Saquon Barkley eventually breaking out for a 52-yard touchdown run, the Bolts held the star running back primarily in check. Sans the 52-yard score, Barkley averaged just 3.7 yards per carry and would have had the Eagles’ run game averaging just 3.4 yards per attempt as a whole.
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Bad: Offensive Dry-spells
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 08: Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers reacts during the first quarter of a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on December 08, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
Despite facing a stingy Eagles defense that features some of the league’s premier playmakers, headlined by second-year cornerback and former Iowa Hawkeye legend Cooper DeJean, the Chargers struggled to capitalize on their stellar defensive plays with points on the board.
Although Omarion Hampton did score in his return from injured reserve on an 11-yard pass from Justin Herbert, the Bolts will need to convert on their opportunities at a much higher rate moving forward. This holds especially true with the impact that wins and losses will have on their playoff hopes in the final four weeks of the regular season.
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Ugly: Entire Offensive Line Unit
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 08: Bobby Hart #66 and Bradley Bozeman #75 help up Justin Herbert #10 of the Los Angeles Chargers after he was sacked by the Philadelphia Eagles during the third quarter at SoFi Stadium on December 08, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
That may have been one of the worst performances by an offensive line I honestly can remember this season.
Herbert was sacked SEVEN TIMES ON 33 QUARTERBACK PRESSURES! Considering the Eagles were without star defensive tackle Jalen Carter, this stat could have been much worse.
While the offensive line is a group that is extremely difficult to fix during the season, given the numerous intricacies of each component, they MUST improve for the Bolts to survive in the last four weeks and during a potential playoff run.
With the Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, and Broncos remaining on the Chargers’ schedule, this needs to be fixed FAST!
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The Chargers will now shift their focus to the aforementioned Kansas City Chiefs, who they will play at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. PT on CBS.
This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Good, Bad, and the Ugly from Chargers 22-19 OT win vs Eagles