Justin Herbert throws 2 TDs as Los Angeles Chargers edge Las Vegas Raiders 17-14 in Week 2

Inglewood, CA - Justin Herbert completed 25 of 29 passes and threw two touchdowns as the Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Las Vegas Raiders 17-14 in Week 2, taking a narrow result from a game in which the teams reached the finish through markedly different statistical profiles.

Herbert finished with 246 passing yards, a 125.0 passer rating and a long completion of 28 yards. Las Vegas did not record an interception, and the Chargers produced 239 passing yards as a team while converting half of their third-down opportunities.

"I liked how accurate we were in the pass game," Herbert said. "Twenty-five completions on 29 throws is a standard we can be proud of. We still have areas to clean up, but getting the result and throwing two touchdowns gives us something positive to carry forward."

The Chargers spread that passing production across several options. Ladd McConkey led Los Angeles with six receptions for 57 yards, including a 20-yard catch. Brenen Thompson added four catches for 41 yards and a touchdown, while Tyreek Hill recorded four receptions for 50 yards with a long of 27. Omarion Hampton caught two passes for four yards and scored Los Angeles' other receiving touchdown.

Hampton also handled most of the Chargers' rushing work, finishing with 60 yards on 14 carries and a long run of 19 yards. Los Angeles totaled 67 rushing yards, leaving the passing game as the larger share of its 306 offensive yards.

Las Vegas finished with 328 offensive yards, 22 more than Los Angeles, and matched the Chargers with 16 first downs. Much of the Raiders' production came from Ashton Jeanty, who rushed for 133 yards and a touchdown on only 11 carries. His 66-yard run was the longest recorded rush of the game, and the Raiders finished with 152 rushing yards overall.

"The yards are good, but the score is what we have to live with," Jeanty said. "I felt like there were opportunities for us in the run game. When you finish three points short, you look at everything and think about where you could have gotten a little more."

The Chargers were far less productive on the ground, but their advantages appeared in passing efficiency, third-down performance and defensive takeaways. Los Angeles converted 5 of 10 third downs compared with Las Vegas' 2-for-8 showing. The Raiders also failed on their only fourth-down attempt.

Red-zone production presented another contrast. Los Angeles reached the red zone three times and scored two touchdowns, while Las Vegas scored one touchdown on two red-zone trips. Neither team recorded a red-zone field goal.

Fernando Mendoza completed 17 of 30 passes for 196 yards and a touchdown for the Raiders. He also threw two interceptions, finished with a 59.8 passer rating and recorded a long completion of 37 yards. The Chargers' defense totaled two sacks and two interceptions, while the Raiders' defense finished with one sack and no interceptions.

"Two interceptions are too many in a three-point game," Mendoza said. "We had strong rushing production and moved for more than 300 yards, but I have to be better with the football. That part starts with me."

Brock Bowers supplied the Raiders' receiving touchdown and led the team with 64 yards on four catches. His 37-yard reception matched Mendoza's longest completion. The performance gave Las Vegas another source of explosive production alongside Jeanty's work on the ground, but the Raiders finished with 176 passing yards as a team.

The final numbers underscored how little separated the AFC West opponents on the scoreboard despite their different routes to production. Las Vegas owned the advantage in offensive yards and rushing yards. Los Angeles had the superior passing total, completed a much higher percentage of its throws and recorded the game's only two interceptions.

For the Chargers, Herbert's 25-for-29 performance stood at the center of a three-point Week 2 victory. For the Raiders, Jeanty's 133 rushing yards and the team's 328 offensive yards were not accompanied by the result Las Vegas wanted.

Up Next

Los Angeles will travel to face the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 looking to follow up the victory, while Las Vegas heads to the New Orleans Saints seeking to rebound from the 17-14 loss.