Raiders Struggle and Fall to Chargers in Another Tough Loss

The Las Vegas Raiders suffered another tough loss in Week 13, falling 31-14 to the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. This defeat marked the Raiders’ tenth consecutive loss against AFC West opponents and their sixth straight overall, further deepening their struggles this season. Despite high hopes for a revitalized offense under new play-caller Greg Olson, the Raiders could not overcome a determined Chargers squad. The game’s early momentum shifted when Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert suffered a broken bone in his non-throwing hand on the opening drive. Herbert, showing remarkable toughness, returned to the field with his hand in a hard cast and a white glove, exclusively taking shotgun snaps for the remainder of the game. Even with the injury, Herbert managed to throw two touchdown passes—one to Quentin Johnston and another to Ladd McConkey—while completing 15 of 20 passes for 151 yards and an interception. Head coach Jim Harbaugh praised Herbert’s resilience, emphasizing his leadership despite adversity. On the ground, the Chargers dominated, outgaining the Raiders 192-31 in rushing yards. Running back Kimani Vidal delivered a career performance with 126 yards and a 59-yard touchdown run, while Jaret Patterson added a late score to seal the win. Los Angeles converted 12 of 17 third downs (70.6%), consistently extending drives and keeping the Raiders’ defense on its heels. According to Next Gen Stats, the Raiders missed 18 tackles, with Vidal and Jaret Patterson combining for +51 rushing yards over expected. Defensively, the Raiders showed flashes of promise. Cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly recorded his third interception of the season, while defensive end Maxx Crosby continued his dominant stretch, finishing with two sacks and four tackles for loss—giving him 10 TFLs in his last three games. Despite these efforts, the inability to tackle effectively and stop the run proved costly, especially after halftime as the Chargers pulled away. Offensively, quarterback Geno Smith completed 18 of 23 passes for 165 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception, posting a 107.4 passer rating. Tight end Brock Bowers was the bright spot, hauling in four catches for 63 yards and both of Smith’s touchdowns, including a spectacular one-handed grab in the fourth quarter. The Raiders managed just 156 total yards, struggled on third downs (2-for-8), and failed to establish a consistent ground game, with Ashton Jeanty limited to 2.1 yards per carry. Postgame, head coach Pete Carroll was candid in his assessment: “Third down was atrocious for us today on both sides of the football. We couldn’t convert and we couldn’t stop them. Some of those third and shorts, that’s been a little bit of a theme throughout the year.” Carroll did highlight improvements in communication and execution with Olson calling plays for the first time, but acknowledged the offense remains a work in progress. Historically, the Chargers have now swept the Raiders in the season series, extending their division dominance to 4-0 in the AFC West. The Raiders, now 2-10, will look to regroup ahead of a divisional matchup with Denver, while the Chargers (8-4) keep pace near the top of the division and await news on Herbert’s hand surgery, though he remains optimistic about not missing time. For more detailed stats and highlights, see the full box score and recap on ESPN and browse the official gameday photo gallery from SoFi Stadium.