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Chargers sweep Raiders, but Justin Herbert’s hand injury could complicate playoff push
Ladies and gentlemen, the unflinching and unrelenting Justin Herbert.
Give him a hand.
(The Chargers wish you could.)
Herbert, who has been knocked around a lot this NFL season but so far had escaped injury, saw that streak come to a disappointing end Sunday, even in leading the Chargers to a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Herbert sustained a broken bone in the back of his non-throwing hand and will undergo a surgical procedure Monday in hopes of playing a week later against the Philadelphia Eagles.
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Sam Farmer breaks down what Justin Herbert’s hand injury means moving forward following their win over the Raiders on Sunday.
“I’m treating it as if I’m playing on Monday,” said Herbert, who directed three of his four touchdown drives after the injury. “I think [Chargers personnel] were very hopeful for that. So I think that’s just something we’ll see tomorrow and we’ll get a feel for, but I think they’re really hopeful. So that’s always a good thing.”
He said the only way he wouldn’t play is if a doctor told him it was “very unwise” for him to do so.
The Chargers are heading into a brutally difficult finish to the regular season, with games against the Eagles, Kansas City, Dallas, Houston — who knocked them out of the playoffs last season — and Denver.
Already, they have endured more than their share of key injuries, losing their bookend standout offensive tackles, and their two top running backs, among others. Lose Herbert and they could call it a season.
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Brock Bowers TD catch keeps Raiders within striking distance
🏈 Chargers 24, Raiders 14 — 7:49 left in the fourth quarter
Raiders tight end Brock Bowers made a spectacular, one-handed touchdown catch to help make it a 10-point game in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown capped a 13-play, 65-yard drive that took seven minutes to complete, complicating the Raiders’ comeback hopes.
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Chargers extend their lead on Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Chargers 24, Raiders 7 — 14:49 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 56-yard field goal on the second play of the fourth quarter to extend the Chargers’ lead.
The field goal came after Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu stopped Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty on fourth and one to force a turnover on downs.
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Chargers extend their lead on Ladd McConkey TD catch
🏈 Chargers 21, Raiders 7 — 2:23 left in the third quarter
Justin Herbert connected on a seven-yard touchdown pass to Ladd McConkey to extend the Chargers’ lead late in the third quarter.
Herbert rolled to the outside and found McConkey in the corner of the end zone to cap an eight-play, 60-yard drive.
The drive included a 22-yard carry by running back Jaret Patterson and a 16-yard reception by Tre’ Harris.
The Raiders’ previous possession ended when Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith on third down.
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Kimani Vidal’s 59-yard touchdown run pushes Chargers back into lead
🏈 Chargers 14, Raiders 7 — 14:03 left in the second quarter
Kimani Vidal scored on a 59-yard run off the third play from scrimmage in the second half to propel the Chargers back into the lead.
Vidal evaded two tackles running to the outside before finding an opening down the sideline and winning a race with the Raiders’ secondary to the end zone.
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Chargers unable to do anything on their final possession of first half
🏈 Raiders 7, Chargers 7 — HALFTIME
The Chargers went three and out on their final possession of the first half, keeping the score tied heading into the locker room.
Justin Herbert was sacked by Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby for a six-yard loss. Herbert did connect on a 15-yard pass to Ladd McConkey, but it wasn’t enough for a first down.
Herbert completed nine of 12 passes in the first half, with a touchdown and an interception. Kimani Vidal rushed for 37 yards in 14 carries and Keenan Allen had four catches for 30 yards.
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith completed five of seven passes, with a touchdown and an interception. Tight end Brock Bowers caught three passes for 57 yards and Ashton Jeanty rushed with 27 yards in nine carries.
Herbert missed part of a Chargers drive after sustaining a left-hand injury on the Chargers’ first possession. He later returned with a protective glove on his non-throwing hand.
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Raiders touchdown ties game late in second quarter
🏈 Raiders 7, Chargers 7 — 1:50 left in the second quarter
Raiders quarterback Geno Smith connected with tight end Brock Bowers on a six-yard touchdown pass to tie the score late in the first half.
The touchdown capped an impressive nine-play, 82-yard drive that included a 24-yard catch by Bowers to put the ball on the Chargers’ five-yard line.
A 13-yard pass interference penalty on Elijah Molden and a 16-yard catch by Raiders wide receiver Jack Bech fueled the drive.
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Chargers come up empty in red zone again
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 5:59 left in the second quarter
Despite starting at the Las Vegas 27-yard line after picking off Geno Smith, the Chargers were unable to add to their lead when they were stymied on fourth and one at the Raiders’ 18-yard line.
A four-yard run by Kimani Vidal followed by a five-yard pass from Justin Herbert to Keenan Allen put the Chargers into the red zone. But Vidal was stuffed at the line by the Raiders’ Devin White and Adam Butler for no gain on fourth down.
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Tony Jefferson pulls off wild interception on deflected pass
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 7:48 left in the second quarter
Two plays after the Raiders picked off Justin Herbert, the Chargers intercepted a pass from Geno Smith.
The Raiders quarterback tried to find wide receiver Dont’e Thornton down the sideline, but his pass was deflected by Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson before safety Tony Jefferson swooped in and caught the ball before going out of bounds.
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Raiders pick off Justin Herbert to thwart potential TD pass
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 8:35 left in second quarter
Raiders cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly intercepted a pass from Justin Herbert intended for Ladd McConkey in the end zone to thwart a prime scoring opportunity for the Chargers.
Herbert connected on a 27-yard pass over the middle to tight end Oronde Gadsden II to put the ball on the Las Vegas 2-yard line before the Chargers’ familiar red-zone issues resurfaced.
Herbert had completed his first seven pass attempts for 76 yards before the interception.
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Justin Herbert returns to the game after injury scare
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 11:58 left in the second quarter
Justin Herbert returned to the game for the Chargers early in the second quarter wearing a protective glove on his left hand.
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Justin Herbert suffers hand injury; Trey Lance in at QB for Chargers
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 1:12 left in the first quarter
Justin Herbert is listed as questionable to return after he sustained a left-hsustained a left hand injury on the Chargers’ first possession, left for the locker room after completing a touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston.
With Herbert listed as questionable to return, backup Trey Lance took over at quarterback for the Chargers on the team’s second possession. Herbert returned to the sideline with a protective glove on his left hand
Herbert appeared to injury his non-throwing hand on an open-field tackle by Raiders safety Jeremy Chinn.
Chargers safety Derwin James Jr. sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith on third down to halt a four-play drive that started with a 27-yard reception by tight end Brock Bowers.
The Chargers have already sacked Smith twice.
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Chargers take early lead on Quentin Johnston touchdown catch
🏈 Chargers 7, Raiders 0 — 4:21 left in the first quarter
Quentin Johnston caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert, with Johnston squeezing through two Raiders defenders to step into the end zone.
The 14-play, 74-yard drive included passes of 10 and five yards to Keenan Allen and an 11-yard reception by Kimani Vidal.
Vidal had 17 yards on five carries and Herbert completed five of five passes for 39 yards on drive.
Khalil Mack sacked Raiders quarterback Geno Smith on third down to force a three and out on the Raiders’ first possession.
The Chargers nearly botched the ensuing punt when the ball bounced straight up into Benjamin St-Juste’s face mask, instigating a mad scramble for the ball. Troy Dye managed to recover it at the Chargers’ 26-yard line.
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Chargers win coin toss, defer to second half
🏈 Raiders 0, Chargers 0 — 14:50 left in the first quarter
The Raiders (2-9) started the game from scrimmage at their 37-yard line as they look to end their five-game losing streak.
The Chargers (7-4) are coming off their bye week eager to bury their 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11.
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Chargers vs. Raiders inactives for Sunday
Here are the players who will not be in uniform Sunday for the Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders:
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Week 11 recap: Justin Herbert and Chargers thrashed by Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Numbers don’t lie. But sometimes NFL teams do.
That’s why All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. believes the Chargers need to be unmercifully honest in sorting through Sunday’s 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the most lopsided defeat of the Jim Harbaugh era.
The Jaguars collected 30 first downs, held the ball for nearly 16 minutes longer, and limited Justin Herbert to a career-low 81 yards passing.
Candor incoming.
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Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders: How to watch, start time and prediction
It’s Raiders week.
Resist the urge to yawn.
What used to be an intense AFC West rivalry is now a bit muted with the Chargers limping into the fourth quarter of the season and the Raiders fumbling around in the dark, having lost nine of their last 10 games.
The Chargers, who began the season with three consecutive divisional victories, have a chance to pull off their first sweep of the season. The Raiders are looking to bounce back from a humiliating loss at home by two touchdowns to Cleveland.