Chargers ‘turn the worm’ against Raiders again, setting up showdown with Texans
LAS VEGAS — On Sept. 8 at SoFi Stadium, after the Chargers started their season with a win over the Las Vegas Raiders, outside linebacker Joey Bosa interrupted Jim Harbaugh’s postgame speech to repeat one of the coach’s favorite phrases.
“Turn the worm!” Bosa shouted, eliciting cheers from his teammates.
Four months later and in a locker room nearly 300 miles away, the message still applies. Facing the same team they opened their season against, the Chargers proved how far the franchise’s fate truly has turned by delivering a clutch 34-20 win over the Raiders on Sunday at Allegiant Stadium to finish the regular season and clinch the No. 5 seed in the AFC.
The Chargers will open the NFL playoffs with an AFC wild-card game on Saturday at Houston and the Rams will close the weekend with a Monday night game at home.
Chargers defeat Raiders to set up wild-card showdown with Texans
🏈 Chargers 34, Raiders 20 — FINAL
Behind standout performances from quarterback Justin Herbert and receiver Quentin Johnston, the Chargers defeated the Raiders and clinched the AFC’s No. 5 seed to set up a wild-card showdown with the Houston Texans next week.
Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell connected on a 12-yard touchdown pass to tight end Brock Bowers in the final minute, but it was too little too late for Las Vegas (4-12).
Herbert completed 28 of 36 passes for 346 yards, with two touchdowns for the Chargers (10-7). Johnston made a career-best 13 catches for 63 yards.
Check out the game summary from the Chargers’ win Sunday
Chargers take commanding lead late in fourth quarter
🏈 Chargers 34, Raiders 13 — 3:38 left in the fourth quarter
Hassan Haskins scored on a two-yard touchdown run to extend the Chargers’ lead late in the fourth quarter.
The 12-play, 81-yard drive was fueled, in part, by a 39-yard reception by Quentin Johnston. The Chargers have dominated time of possession and have scored on their last seven possessions.
In the biggest defensive play of the game for the Chargers, Derwin James Jr. prevented Raiders tight end Brock Bowers from hauling in a touchdown pass on fourth-and-10 to put the ball back in Justin Herbert’s hands at the L.A. 18.
Justin Herbert’s 41-yard run sets up another Chargers TD
🏈 Chargers 27, Raiders 13 — 13:32 left in the fourth quarter
Two plays after Justin Herbert picked up 41 yards to move the ball to the Las Vegas three-yard line, he found Will Dissly on a two-yard touchdown pass to extend the Chargers’ lead.
Herbert has 43 yards on three carries and his big run powered the seven-play, 70-yard drive. He also has completed 26 of 34 passes for 299 yards, with two touchdowns.
Raiders field goal cuts into Chargers’ lead
🏈 Chargers 20, Raiders 13 — 2:30 left in the third quarter
Daniel Carlson kicked a 47-yard field goal to cut into the Chargers’ lead late in the third quarter.
The field goal came at the end of an eight-play, 41-yard drive that included Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell completing a 21-yard pass to tight end Brock Bowers.
O’Connell has completed 13 of 19 passes for 120 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
Chargers settle for field goal after Raiders make stand on goal line
🏈 Chargers 20, Raiders 10 — 7:10 left in the third quarter
The Raiders put up a big goal-line stand, holding back the Chargers on three consecutive plays from the one-yard line to force the Chargers to settle for a 20-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker.
The 13-play, 69-yard drive included a 19-yard catch by Ladd McConkey and a 15-yard reception by Will Dissly. The Chargers have scored on their last five possessions for 17 unanswered points.
Dicker has kicked four field goals.
The Chargers suffered a blow to their offensive line when Trey Pipkins III sustained an oblique injury and was carted off the sideline to the locker room. He is questionable to return.
Chargers take lead just before halftime after Daiyan Henley interception
🏈 Chargers 17, Raiders 10 — HALFTIME
DJ Chark Jr. caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to give the Chargers their first lead. Herbert then found Ladd McConkey in the end zone on a two-point conversion try to give the Chargers a seven-point lead at the break.
The touchdown came after linebacker Daiyan Henley intercepted a pass from Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell to put the ball in Herbert’s hands at the Las Vegas 30. After completing a 19-yard pass to Quentin Johnston, Herbert found Chark for his first touchdown this season.
Herbert has completed 18 of 25 passes for 225 yards and a touchdown. Johnston has nine catches for 117 yards and McConkey has three receptions for 71 yards. J.K. Dobbins has 37 yards in nine carries.
O’Connell has completed nine of 14 passes for 97 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. Jakobi Meyers has 86 yards in six catches for the Raiders.
Chargers make it a one-point game on Cameron Dicker field goal
🏈 Raiders 10, Chargers 9 — 1:05 left in the second quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 49-yard field goal for the Chargers to make it a one-point game. All of the Chargers’ points so far have come from Dicker field goals.
The field goal came after a nine-play, 52-yard drive fizzled in Raiders territory, with Justin Herbert failing to connect with Ladd McConkey on third down at the Raiders’ 31. McConkey had a 17-yard reception earlier in the drive.
Quentin Johnston has a career-best seven receptions today for 93 yards so far. Herbert has completed 15 of 21 passes for 195 yards.
On the ensuing Raiders possession, Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley picked off Aidan O’Connell for his first NFL interception, putting the ball on the Las Vegas 30.
Chargers settle for another field goal after costly penalty
🏈 Raiders 10, Chargers 6 — 5:28 left in the second quarter
The Chargers had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker after a costly penalty on third down prevented L.A. from potentially tying the game.
A holding penalty on Trey Pipkins III on third down nullified a touchdown pass to Derius Davis. Facing third-and-goal from the 23, the Chargers opted to run the ball and go with the field-goal try.
A quarterback keeper by Justin Herbert on fourth-and-one extended the 15-play, 56-yard drive.
Herbert has completed nine of 13 passes for 143 yards. J.K. Dobbins has 37 yards in nine carries and Quentin Johnston has 75 yards in five catches.
Raiders retake lead on Jakobi Meyers TD catch
🏈 Raiders 10, Chargers 3 — 13:04 left in the second quarter
Raiders quarterback Aidan O’Connell completed a 25-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jakobi Meyers to push the Raiders back into the lead.
The touchdown capped a five-play, 70-yard drive that included a 22-yard reception by Meyers at the start of the possession.
Meyers has caught six passes for 86 yards. O’Connell has completed eight of 11 passes for 92 yards.
Chargers tie game on field goal in the first quarter
🏈 Chargers 3, Raiders 3 — 11 seconds left in the first quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 33-yard field goal to tie the game with seconds left in the opening quarter.
The field goal capped a six-play, 55-yard drive that was fueled by a 47-yard reception by Ladd McConkey.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert has completed five of six passes for 99 yards so far.
Raiders field goal gives them 3-0 lead in first quarter
🏈 Raiders 3, Chargers 0 — 2:46 left in the first quarter
Daniel Carlson kicked a 40-yard field goal to give Las Vegas an early lead after a seven-play, 37-yard drive.
After going three and out on their first two drives, the Raiders found more success, with Jakobi Meyers catching a 20-yard pass from Aidan O’Connell to help fuel the drive. Meyers already has four catches for 39 yards.
Cameron Dicker misses first field-goal attempt in 19 tries
🏈 Chargers 0, Raiders 0 — 5:03 left in the first quarter
Cameron Dicker missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt after a costly Raiders penalty gave L.A. a chance to take an early lead. Dicker had made 18 consecutive field goals before his kick went wide left.
An illegal block above the waist penalty for 10 yards by Las Vegas cornerback Decamerion Richardson on a Chargers punt led to a replay of fourth down and moved the Chargers into field-goal range.
Unfortunately, the Chargers have come up empty on their first two possessions.
After going three and out on their first set of downs, the Chargers’ second possession showed promise when Justin Herbert completed a 49-yard pass to wide receiver Quentin Johnston. J.K. Dobbins then followed with a 10-yard run.
But Raiders defensive tackle Adam Butler sacked Justin Herbert on third down for a nine-yard loss that ended the drive.
Ultimate game-changer? Derius Davis has been a ‘bolt of lightning’ for Chargers
One was clutch. The other was acrobatic.
Both of Derius Davis’ touchdown catches have been electrifying.
The second-year receiver has sparked the Chargers’ offense at just the right time with the first two touchdown catches of his career. Davis has 60 of his season-total 107 yards receiving in the last two weeks, using just four receptions to ignite an offense that has scored 74 combined points in the last two games entering Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Chargers takeaways: J.K. Dobbins’ return a boost to offense in rout of Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Derius Davis hadn’t reached his full stretch, hadn’t reeled in his second touchdown in as many games and hadn’t yet gotten the Chargers on the scoreboard. Still, J.K. Dobbins was ready to celebrate.
The Chargers running back raised both hands once quarterback Justin Herbert threw the ball downfield and beat the referees at Gillette Stadium to the signal as Davis laid out for a flying touchdown catch.
Now, just like their running back, the Chargers don’t have to withhold their celebration.
Rashawn Slater inactive for Chargers because of knee issue
Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater is inactive for the Chargers regular-season finale against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday.
Slater was not on the injury report this week, but he felt discomfort in his knee during the pregame stretch, according to a Chargers spokesperson.
The Chargers (10-6) have already clinched a playoff berth, but are still fighting for seeding. Aided by Saturday’s loss by the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Chargers can move into the No. 5 seed in the AFC with a win over their division rivals Sunday.
Slater dealt with a pectoral injury early in the season, which caused him to miss one game, but has been an anchor for the Chargers offensive line while earning his second Pro Bowl appearance. The team could instead plug Jamaree Salyer in at left tackle, where he subbed in for Slater in Week 4.
With Slater out, the Chargers warmed up with rookie right tackle Joe Alt flipping over to the left side for the first time in his professional career. Trey Pipkins III, who started at right tackle last season before shifting inside to guard to accommodate the No. 5 overall pick, reprised his right tackle role, and Jamaree Salyer was at right guard. Salyer, the team’s regular sixth offensive lineman, started at right guard last week with Pipkins out.
Other Chargers inactives: QB Easton Stick (third quarterback), RB Gus Edwards (ankle), WR Joshua Palmer (foot), LB Denzel Perryman (groin), OL Jordan McFadden, DL Justin Eboigbe
Las Vegas Raiders inactives: RB Ameer Abdullah, QB Carter Bradley, S Chris Smith II, CB Nate Hobbs, OL Andrus Peat, DT Matthew Butler
Chargers Khalil Mack, Derwin James Jr. and Rashawn Slater named to Pro Bowl rosters
Chargers outside linebacker Khalil Mack, safety Derwin James Jr. and offensive tackle Rashawn Slater were selected to the Pro Bowl, the NFL announced Thursday.
Mack earned his ninth career Pro Bowl selection with six sacks, 15 quarterback hits, six tackles for loss and nine pass breakups. The 11-year veteran is the only player in the NFL this season to have at least five sacks and nine pass breakups.
With Mack and James leading the way, the Chargers have the league’s best scoring defense, allowing 17.6 points per game entering Week 18.
Chargers might know playoff opponent before kickoff against the Raiders
Jim Harbaugh doesn’t care for complicated playoff scenarios. With teams still vying for divisional titles and playoff seeding, the Chargers coach, whose team clinched its first postseason berth since 2022 on Saturday, maintains a simple goal for a Week 18 game against the Las Vegas Raiders.
“My plan is to win,” Harbaugh said Monday. “That’s been our mindset from the very beginning: win the next game.”
A road win in the Chargers’ regular-season finale against the Raiders (4-12) is necessary for the Chargers (10-6) to move up in the AFC playoff picture. They can claim the No. 5 seed — setting up a favorable matchup against the No. 4 Houston Texans in the wild-card round — with a win over the Raiders and a Pittsburgh Steelers loss to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Closing the regular season against the Raiders is a reminder of the Chargers’ journey
The joy of clinching a playoff berth didn’t erase the pain of Otito Ogbonnia’s last postseason memory. Perhaps the Chargers’ 27-point collapse in Jacksonville two years ago only enhanced the thrill of returning to the playoffs this season for the third-year defensive tackle.
“Without where we’ve been,” Ogbonnia said, “I don’t know if you get a season like this.”
Back in the playoffs for the first time since 2022, many of the Chargers’ returning players have not forgotten their catastrophic wild-card loss to Jacksonville. They haven’t fully escaped last year’s 5-12 debacle.
Chargers vs. Las Vegas Raiders: How to watch, predictions and betting odds
Wins are the only statistic that counts for Jim Harbaugh. Still, all the numbers matter, the head coach likes to say.
Although the Chargers are already in the postseason, they are still fighting for the distinction as the best defense in the NFL against Las Vegas Raiders at 1:25 p.m. PST Sunday.
Allowing a league-low average of 17.6 points per game, the Chargers (10-6) are in position to lead the NFL in scoring defense for just the second time in franchise history as they try to lock up the No. 5 seed in the AFC. Playing “winning football” throughout the season to clinch the team’s first playoff berth since 2022 was the top priority for first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, but finishing the season in the No. 1 spot would be validating for the unit that ranked 24th in points allowed last season.