Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert sustained a broken left hand – an injury that requires surgery but will not keep him out of the Eagles matchup

The divisional sweep is complete.

Coming off a 29-point loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars – a defeat that ended a three-game win streak – and its bye week, the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 31-14 Sunday afternoon at SoFi Stadium. 

The win completed the two-game sweep of the Chargers’ divisional opponents and placed the squad two games behind the first-place Denver Broncos in the AFC West division and as the fifth seed in the current AFC playoff picture.

Los Angeles’ victory over the Sin City squad was marked by a dominant ground attack presence and a pass-rushing unit that brought down Raiders quarterback Geno Smith five times.

Chargers running back Kimani Vidal finished the Sunday affair with 126 ground yards and a score on an efficient five yards per carry. Joining him in the end zone was tailback Jaret Patterson, who also added 54 yards on the ground.

2025 first-round pick and starter Omarion Hampton returned to practice in the week leading up to the game but was ultimately ruled out.

Defensively, linebacker and former USC player Tuli Tuipulotu led the team with two sacks, increasing his season total to a career-high 10 with five games still remaining in the 2025-2026 campaign. 

Scroll to continue reading

Former NFL first-round pick and outside linebacker Bud Dupree joined Tuipulotu in the sack department with a single quarterback takedown, while outside linebacker Khalil Mack, middle linebacker Daiyan Henley, safety Derwin James Jr, and defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand all notched 0.5 sacks.

The story of the game, though, was the injury of quarterback Justin Herbert, who broke his non-throwing left hand in the first quarter of Sunday’s contest via a hit from Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn.

While the handbrake requires surgery – a procedure scheduled for Monday – Herbert is projected to be ready for the Chargers’ Monday night faceoff against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The extra day could be crucial for Hebert’s game-readiness; however, he will most likely be limited in practice the week leading up to the game.

If Herbert is not cleared to go against the Jalen Hurts-led Eagles, then backup quarterback Trey Lance will get the nod under center.

Lance – a former first-round draft pick by the San Francisco 49ers – threw one pass for nine yards and ran the ball four times for four yards Sunday in Herbert’s absence. 

Whether it is Lance or Herbert in the pocket, the continued dominance of slot wide receiver Ladd McConkey will be integral to the team’s success against a stifling Eagles secondary.

The University of Georgia pass catcher finished the game against the Raiders with four receptions for 39 yards and a touchdown, adding to his season total of 683 receiving yards and five scores.

The Chargers’ five-game stretch to end the season could pose challenges to their postseason aspirations. The squad will face both teams from last season’s Super Bowl – the Eagles and the Kansas City Chiefs – and will also face the top-seeded Broncos, a Dallas Cowboys squad that has won three in a row, and a 7-5 Houston Texans team.