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Chargers vs Raiders final score, results: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles defense shines in AFC West tilt

Jake Mozarsky

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Chargers vs Raiders final score, results: Justin Herbert, Los Angeles defense shines in AFC West tilt image

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The clash for the AFC West's top spot was a battle of contrasting quarterback performances, with one leading his team to a statement win.

It was Justin Herbert, who finished completing 19-of-27 passes for 242 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Los Angeles Chargers to a 20-9 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. The victory advanced Los Angeles to 2-0 on the season and gave them sole possession of first place in the AFC West, which it has not won since 2009.

Herbert, who had 318 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1 against the Kansas City Chiefs, has opened up the season on fire. He looks poised and has made big-time throws, including a 60-yard touchdown to Quentin Johnston on Monday night. He now has five touchdowns through two weeks, one behind the NFL lead.

Meanwhile on the other side, Geno Smith struggled for the majority of the game, tallying three interceptions — including one on the first play of the game — as his offense scored no touchdowns. Las Vegas drops to 1-1 on the season after beating the New England Patriots in Week 1.

Even without Khalil Mack, who left the game at the end of the first quarter , the Chargers defense was stellar. Los Angeles allowed only 218 yards on the night and won the turnover battle three to nothing, starting on the game’s first play when Smith was intercepted by Daiyan Henley.

Jim Harbaugh's team advances to 2-0 on the season. The Sporting News tracked updates from the divisional matchup in Las Vegas throughout the night. Check out all the action below.

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Chargers vs. Raiders score

 

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Final: Chargers 20, Raiders 9

12:58 p.m.: Los Angeles is able to pick up a few first downs, then Herbert is able to kneel out the game

The Chargers advance to 2-0 and take sole possession of first place in the AFC West. According to the broadcast, Los Angeles is now the favorite to win the division.

Jim Harbaugh advances to 7-6 against Pete Caroll in his career, with Los Angeles beating Las Vegas in the coaches' first meeting this season.

12:49 a.m.: Las Vegas faces another fourth down, and Smith buys as much time as he can in the pocket before getting rushed by the Los Angeles front. He's forced to roll to his left and throw the ball to the left sideline, an incomplete pass.

After the Hampton turnover, the Chargers take over four plays later.

12:45 a.m.: On 4th and 3, it's Henley —who intercepted Smith to begin the game — who blitzes and takes down Smith, giving the ball back to the Chargers.

The next play, Herbert hands it to Hampton, who is hit by Maxx Crosby and fumbles immediately. It's recovered by Las Vegas, who gets the ball right back.

It's the first fumble in the NFL for the young rookie running back.

12:39 a.m.: Los Angeles has a chance to run down the clock, but Herbert is unable to find Allen on third down. The Chargers punt back to the Raiders, and Smith and co. take over with 4:23 remaining.

12:34 a.m.: The Raiders once again have a third down, and Smith forces one to Meyers, who is in double coverage, in the endzone. The ball is intercepted on the deflection by Donte Jackson. Las Vegas does not come up with any points at a crucial point in the game.

Smith has three interceptions on the night, and Los Angeles takes the ball with 5:58 remaining.

12:32 a.m.: Facing a third down, Smith hits Meyers on a curl route, then the receiver turns it up field for 20 yards.

Las Vegas is now in the red zone needing a score.

12:28 a.m.: On a 3rd and 1, Herbert makes a rare bad decision, throwing right at Raiders' linebacker Germaine Pratt. The linebacker fails to catch the ball, which would have set up Las Vegas in good field position.

Though, on the next play, Los Angeles goes for it again on fourth and one inside its own territory. On a shuttle pass from Herbert to Derius Davis, Davis fumbles backwards for three yards.

Las Vegas, down 11, will start on the 43 yard line.

12:24 a.m.: Harris, who has played sparingly, picks up two first downs on two plays.

The first is a one-yard carry up the middle, where the big back falls forward, then Herbert hits him on a play-action and he takes it 11 yards.

Harris has three carries for seven yards and two receptions for 20 yards on the night.

Chargers 20, Raiders 9

12:15 a.m.: The Raiders are 4-for-4 on third downs this drive, this time with Smith hitting Meyers for six yards down to the Los Angeles 17. Though, a few plays later on the next series, a critical holding penalty drives them back, and Las Vegas is unable to convert on a 3rd and 17.

Carlson hits his third field goal of the game to cut into the deficit, but Las Vegas is yet to hit paydirt. The Raiders are 8-for-14 on third down on the night.

End of the third quarter: Chargers 20, Raiders 6

12:08 a.m.: At the end of three, the Raiders are knocking on the door, still trailing by 14. 

It's been a rough night for Jeanty, who only has 10 carries for 38 yards. Smith has connected with multiple receivers on this drive, but Las Vegas is still searching for its first touchdown of the game. 

12:04 a.m.: The Raiders continue to put a drive together, with Smith connecting for Bowers on third down for the second time this drive.

The second-year tight end bobbled the pass but held on, and Las Vegas is across midfield.

12:00 a.m.: In desperate need of a first down, Smith finds Bowers on a curl for his second reception of the game.

Bowers has been quiet tonight after being activated right before the game.

Chargers 20, Raiders 6

11:54 p.m.: The Chargers had three chances from inside the five-yard line and gave the ball to Hampton each time. But, the Las Vegas defense came up big, keeping the rookie from his first NFL touchdown.

This time, Dicker comes out and hits a short field goal to make it a two-touchdown game and the Raiderskeep it within two possessions.

11:51 p.m.: Los Angeles, deep inside opponent territory, opts to go for it on a 4th and 2. Herbert hits Allen on a crosser from right-to-left for 25 yards down to the Las Vegas five-yard line.

11:47 p.m.: Herbert's first pass attempt is a completion to Tre Harris by the right sideline for 24 yards. Los Angeles picks up a first down and is by midfield.

11:45 p.m.: Las Vegas has kicked off, and the second half is underway.

11:40 p.m.: At halftime, it's a tale of two quarterbacks.

Herbert is 9-for-14 with 133 yards and two touchdowns, while Smith is 11-for-19 for 97 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions. 

Halftime: Chargers 17, Raiders 6

11:30 p.m.: Los Angeles, backed up deep in its own territory, decides to dwindle the clock down and take a double-digit lead into the locker room.

Hampton had two carries to end the half for 10 yards. Los Angeles will get the ball to begin the second half.

11:27 p.m.: With the Raiders in desperate need for a response, Smith chucks one to the end zone on a 3rd and 6. With two Chargers on Thornton, Tony Jefferson comes up with the interception.

Smith has zero touchdowns and two interceptions in the first half. The Las Vegas defense desperately needs a stop, trailing by 11 and Los Angeles receiving to start the second half.

Chargers 17, Raiders 6

11:21 p.m.: On the first play after the two minute warning, Herbert unleashes a bomb to Johnston for a 60-yard touchdown. It's Herbert's second touchdown of the night, both coming to receivers he threw touchdowns to the week before.

The pair connected for two touchdowns in Week 1 against Kansas City, and now they have their third of the season.

11:20 p.m.: Mack has returned to the Chargers sideline without his jersey on and his left arm heavily wrapped in a sling. 

Los Angeles has ruled Mack out for the game.

11:17 p.m.: The Chargers were facing a 3rd down, and Hampton is able to break one to the left for 14 yards.

Los Angeles had one rushing yard total going into this drive, and it's the rookie who gives the Chargers its first big carry.

11:11 p.m.: On a 3rd and short, Smith hands it off to Jeanty, but he is stuffed in the backfield by the Chargers defensive line. It was Henley, who got the interception on the game's first play, who met Jeanty behind the line of scrimmage.

11:08 p.m.: Deep inside their own territory, Smith is able to hit Michael Mayer on a drag route for a first down.

The next play, Jeanty almost breaks one loose, but he's stopped in the secondary by Los Angeles. He still gets a first down on a 10-yard carry.

11:04 p.m.: On third down, Herbert targets Quentin Johnston, but second-year edge Tyree Wilson gets in the way, forcing Herbert to make an errant throw. He misses Johnston and Los Angeles punts. It looked like Hebert had McConkey downfield, but the quarterback didn't see him.

The Chargers are 1-for-4 on third down. 

Chargers 10, Raiders 6

10:57 p.m.: Las Vegas is unable to do anything with its first red zone appearance. On 3rd and 6, Smith gets sacked by Jamaree Caldwell for a nine-yard loss.

Carlson comes out again and drills a 40-yard field goal, his second of the night.

10:55 p.m.: The Raiders were faced with a 1st and 20, but Smith is able to scramble for 16 yards on second down, then Jeanty runs one up the middle for the first down to get the Raiders inside the Los Angeles 20.

Las Vegas is in the red zone for the first time tonight.

10:54 p.m.: ESPN's Katie George reports that Mack got on the cart after injuring his arm, and he was brought to the Raiders' sideline to get imaging done.

Los Angeles is calling it an elbow injury.

10:53 p.m.: Smith finds Jakobi Meyers for his first reception of the game, and Meyers finds space and brings it down to the Los Angeles 28. The 25-yard completion is Vegas' longest of the game so far.

End of the first quarter: Chargers 10, Raiders 3

10:47 p.m.: On the final play of the quarter, Mack chases down Thornton, but gets his left arm caught in between the receiver and Chargers linebacker Troy Dye.

Mack was seen leaving the field in noticeable pain. He went straight to the medical tent.

Chargers 10, Raiders 3

10:44 p.m. TOUCHDOWN: We have our first touchdown of the game, and it's Chargers legend Keenan Allen.

Las Vegas once again sends pressure, which Herbert is able to evade. As he rolls right, he finds Allen in the back-right corner of the endzone for his 61st touchdown as a Charger. Allen re-signed with the team in early August after one year with the Chicago Bears.

10:39 p.m.: Herbert escapes pressure and scrambles for a first down, and 15 yards are added on after a late hit on the quarterback as he slides.

Isaiah Pola-Mao lowered his helmet and connected with the Chargers' signal-caller, and Los Angeles is right outside the 10-yard line.

10:36 p.m.: Tom Brady is in the booth, but not as a broadcaster.

Brady, a minority Raiders' owner, is wearing headphones while sitting next to offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. According to the ESPN broadcast, Kelly consults with Tom Brady multiple times a week to go over the game plan and film.

10:35 p.m.: Herbert connects with McConkey for the second time tonight — this time for 15 yards — to give Los Angeles its first first down of the night.

The next play, Najee Harris, who has worked his way back from an eye injury, takes his first carry for six yards. Harris is the first Chargers' running back to get a touch tonight after Omarion Hampton led with 15 carries for 48 yards against Kansas City.

10:31 p.m.: On third down, Smith finds Bowers for his first reception of the night, but only for five yards. Now, it's Las Vegas who is forced to punt for the first time tonight.

10:26 p.m.: The Raiders defense gets another big stop on Herbert, forcing him to move up in the pocket and scramble on third down. He only gets a few yards and Los Angeles punts for the first time.

The Chargers did not get a first down on their opening two drives.

Chargers 3, Raiders 3

10:19 p.m. FIELD GOAL: After the Smith interception, the two teams have exchanged field goals to open the night. This time, it's Daniel Carlson, who drills it from 50 yards,

10:18 p.m.: The Chargers defense gets its first sack of the night, and of course its Khalil Mack.

Mack won the NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the Raiders in 2016.

10:14 p.m.: On third down, Smith hits Dont'E Thornton Jr. over the middle for a first down, and the rookie receiver finds space down to the Los Angeles 40.

10:12 p.m.: On his first carry of the night, Ashton Jeanty runs left and takes one for 13 yards.

The 2024 Heisman runner-up, who led all of college football in scrimmage yards in 2024, had 19 carries for 38 yards and a touchdown in Week 1.

Chargers 3, Raiders 0

10:09 p.m. FIELD GOAL: The Chargers are unable to do anything after starting in plus territory, failing to pick up a first down.

Cameron Dicker puts one right down the middle and Los Angeles is on the board first. With the kick, Dicker has the highest field goal percentage in NFL history, with a minimum of 100 attempts.

10:07 p.m.: On the first play of the game, Smith throws one into traffic and it is intercepted on the rickashay by Daiyan Henley.

Justin Herbert and the Chargers start their first drive deep in Raiders' territory.

10:06 p.m.: We are underway from Las Vegas.

Los Angeles has kicked off, and the Raiders have the ball first.

9:55 p.m.: The black hole is ready for kickoff, which is only a few minutes away.

9:43 p.m.: Bud Crawford, the undisputed champion who beat Canelo Alvarez on Saturday night, is in the house.

After beating Alvarez in a unified decision, Crawford is now 42-0 with 31 knockouts, and holds the WBA, IBF, WBO and WBC junior middleweight titles. 

9:30 p.m.: The Chargers' are officially on the field with their white-and-blue uniform combination for the first time. 

9:20 p.m.: Teams are on the field in uniforms.

Geno Smith is ready to make his Raiders home debut.

9:06 p.m.: It's Las Vegas, so of course there are going to be celebrities. Spotted at the game is NFL legend Rob Gronkowski, who is on the field.

"Gronk" predicts a big game from his fellow tight end, Brock Bowers. 

9:03 p.m.: More of both teams have taken the field before tonight's contest.

The Chargers and Raiders both look to advance to 2-0. The winner of the matchup will be in first place in the AFC West. 

8:40 p.m.: Las Vegas has posted its inactives.

The most notable is starting offensive lineman Jackson Powers-Johnson, who was ruled out earlier in the week with a concussion.

8:39 p.m.: Brock Bowers is on the field ahead of Chargers-Raiders, and he is officially listed as active.

The tight end had five receptions for 103 yards in Week 1 against New England.

8:36 p.m.: Los Angeles has listed its official inactives against Las Vegas.

8:13 p.m.: Both quarterbacks have taken the field ahead of Monday Night Football, both looking to get to 2-0.

Herbert threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns in Week 1 against the Chiefs, while Smith threw for 362 yards, one touchdown and one interception.

 7:40 p.m.: The Chargers are also on-site at Allegiant Stadium. This includes Khalil Mack, who is facing his former team.

Mack was selected No. 5 overall by the Oakland Raiders in the 2014 NFL Draft.

7:30 p.m.: Pete Carroll has arrived.

On his 74th birthday and Raiders home debut, Carroll has officially arrived at Allegiant Stadium.

6:53 p.m.: The Chargers have posted that they'll be wearing their powder blue pants — a new addition to the team's wardrobe — to go along with their white away jerseys.

On the other side, the Raiders will be going with their classic black and silver home uniforms.

Where to watch Chargers vs. Raiders

Chargers vs. Raiders start time

  • Date: September 15
  • Time: 10:00 p.m. ET

Chargers vs. Raiders will be the second game of a "Monday Night Football" double-header in Week 2. The game will follow the contest between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Houston Texans to close out the week of action.

How to watch Chargers vs. Raiders

  • TV channel: ESPN
  • Live stream: ESPN+, Fubo

ESPN will have the broadcast of Chargers vs. Raiders in Las Vegas, as Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky and Louis Riddick will call the game. Those looking for an alternate streaming option can use either ESPN+ or Fubo, as the latter offers a free trial for new users.

Chargers schedule 2025

DateOpponentTime (ET)TV Channel
9/15@ Raiders10:00 p.m.ESPN
9/21vs. Broncos4:05 p.m.CBS
9/28@ Giants1:00 p.m.CBS
10/5vs. Commanders4:25 p.m.Fox
10/12@ Dolphins1:00 p.m.CBS
10/19vs. Colts4:05 p.m.CBS
10/23vs. Vikings8:15 p.m.Prime Video
11/2@ Titans1:00 p.m.CBS
11/9vs. Steelers8:20 p.m.NBC
11/16@ Jaguars1:00 p.m.CBS
11/30vs. Raiders4:25 p.m.CBS
12/8vs. Eagles8:15 p.m.ABC, ESPN
12/14@ Chiefs1:00 p.m.CBS
12/21@ Cowboys1:00 p.m.Fox
TBDvs. TexansTBDTBD
TBD@ BroncosTBDTBD

Raiders schedule 2025

DateOpponentTime (ET)TV Channel
9/15vs. Chargers10:00 p.m.ESPN
9/21@ Commanders1:00 p.m.Fox
9/28vs. Bears4:25 p.m.CBS
10/5@ Colts1:00 p.m.Fox
10/12vs. Titans4:05 p.m.Fox
10/19@ Chiefs1:00 p.m.CBS
11/2vs. Jaguars4:05 p.m.Fox
11/6@ Broncos8:15 p.m.Prime Video
11/17vs. Cowboys8:15 p.m.ABC, ESPN
11/23vs. Browns4:05 p.m.CBS
11/30@ Chargers4:25 p.m.CBS
12/7vs. Broncos4:05 p.m.CBS
12/14@ Eagles1:00 p.m.Fox
12/21@ Texans4:25 p.m.CBS
TBDvs. GiantsTBDTBD
TBDvs. ChiefsTBDTBD

 

Jake Mozarsky

Jake Mozarsky joined The Sporting News as an Editorial Intern in August 2025 after earning both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northwestern University. He has previously written for Marquee Sports Network, Chicago This Week, Inside NU and The Daily Northwestern.