Chargers defeat Raiders 31‑14 as Herbert plays through broken hand in Week 13

30 November 2025, NFL (Photo: Chargers)

At SoFi Stadium, the Chargers returned to winning ways by beating the Raiders 31‑14 in a divisional classic after their bye week. The game was tied 7‑7 at halftime despite Los Angeles dominating in yardage and possession, but the ground attack tipped the scales in the second half. The victory leaves the Bolts at 8‑4 and firmly in the AFC West race, while Las Vegas falls to 2‑10 and deepens its losing streak. The result was dampened by a fracture in Justin Herbert’s left hand; even so, he returned with a cast and glove to lead his team.

The start was not easy for the quarterback. On the first series he threw a 10‑yard pass to Quentin Johnston for a 7‑0 lead, but injured his hand on the same play and had to go to the locker room. The Chargers reached the red zone twice in the second quarter, but an interception near the goal line and a turnover on downs at the Raiders’ 18 prevented them from extending the lead. Las Vegas tied the game with a 6‑yard pass to Brock Bowers two minutes before the break. During halftime, the team learned that Herbert’s hand was broken; Harbaugh admitted he didn’t know how long his quarterback might be out and avoided speculation.

The second half belonged to Los Angeles. Kimani Vidal, who finished with 126 yards on 25 carries, broke the tie with a 59‑yard run up the middle early in the third quarter. Later, Herbert found Ladd McConkey in the end zone to make it 21‑7, and kicker Cameron Dicker drilled a 56‑yard field goal to push the score to 24‑7 at the start of the final period. The Raiders pulled a touchdown back with another Bowers catch, but Jaret Patterson closed the night with a 2‑yard run in the closing minutes. Overall, the Chargers ran 43 times for 192 yards and limited the visitors to 156 total yards.

Several players stood out. Herbert completed 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards and two touchdowns, playing through the pain of his fracture. Harbaugh praised him as “one of the toughest” and noted that he came back to deliver a great performance. Vidal stole the spotlight with his 59‑yard breakout and a 126‑yard rushing effort; Patterson added 54 yards and a touchdown. The offensive line, bolstered by Jamaree Salyer on the blind side, earned plaudits from the coaching staff: Salyer said his only aim was to make the absent starters proud, and Harbaugh awarded game balls to all the linemen for their work. On defense, Derwin James Jr. explained that the locker room was eager to return to the field after the bye and that the team focused on working hard regardless of the opponent.

After this win, the Chargers are already looking toward Monday night’s matchup against the defending champions from Philadelphia, while they await updates on Herbert’s recovery he has said he will treat the week “as if he were going to play”. Las Vegas, on the other hand, suffers its sixth straight loss and must find answers before closing another season to forget.