The Chargers are now winners of two consecutive games coming off of their Week 12 bye. While the win over the Raiders was nice, being able to outlast the defending Super Bowl champions in overtime, in your own stadium, in primetime, is incredibly hard to top.
Justin Herbert played through a surgically-repaired left hand and was rewarded with being sacked nine times by the Eagles. Despite the beatdown he was receiving, Herbert still managed to lead the Chargers with 66 rushing yards as he used his
legs to give him team a shot every step of the way.
At the end of an insane game, the Bolts walked away victors. However, members of the media are still very skeptical about ranking the Chargers much higher than they were a week ago. I don’t necessarily agree with their rankings, but to each their own.
With that said, let’s go ahead and see where they landed amongst the rankings this week.
Touchdown Wire – #8
CBS Sports – #11
Given their daunting schedule, that might have been a season-saving win over the Eagles on Monday night. Justin Herbert showed a lot playing through the hand injury. – Pete Prisco
Sports Illustrated – #12
This has been a fairly outsized sample of quarterbacks playing with significant injuries this year, from Daniel Jones to Carson Wentz to Jordan Love to Aaron Rodgers. But watching Justin Herbert get absolutely smashed behind a perforated offensive line and finishing as the team’s leading rusher a week after surgery was as close to peak heroism at the position we’ve seen this year. – Conor Orr
ESPN – #13
Herbert has been uncharacteristically reckless with the football in 2025. Last season, he had the fewest interceptions in the NFL (three), reinforcing his place as one of the league’s best decision-makers. This season has been a different story. His 11 interceptions are already his second most in a single season, and he threw one Monday night. Herbert’s career high for interceptions was 15 in 2021.”- Kris Rhim
The Athletic – #11
The Chargers have missed their two best offensive tackles for most of the season, but never more than Monday night. Justin Herbert was sacked seven times and hurried another 11 times and led the Chargers in rushing with 66 yards, some of which he gained while simply running for his life. Still, Los Angeles won for the fifth time in six games. – Josh Kendall
Pro Football Talk – #11
They found a way on a night that didn’t feel like it was going their way. – Mike Florio
USA Today – #12
So many of their key players have been hit with injuries. But when you’re led by tough guys like QB Justin Herbert and OLB Khalil Mack, who have shrugged off their own physical setbacks, and now have rookie RB Omarion Hampton back in the fold, then you’re a team wired well to deal with late-season (and postseason) adversity. – Nate Davis
Bleacher Report – #12
An argument can be made that we have undersold the Chargers all season.
The Bolts just beat the reigning Super Bowl champions with a quarterback who had surgery on a broken hand a week ago. Their defense was fantastic, forcing five Jalen Hurts turnovers.
However, there is an important caveat: Herbert was sacked a career-high seven times by an Eagles team that had struggled to rush the passer this season. He was also the team’s leading rusher. He threw for 139 yards. And the Bolts turned it over three times in their own right.
The Chargers are a 9-4 team, but they are a flawed 9-4 team with a brutal schedule the rest of the way—including three on the road.
Will the Chargers make the playoffs? Yes. Will they do any damage there? No. – Gary Davenport
Pro Football Network – #15
Justin Herbert underwent surgery on his injured left hand last Monday. This Monday, he led the Los Angeles Chargers on a game-tying drive in the final two minutes, forcing the game into overtime against the Eagles. He ran 33 yards during the final drive in the fourth quarter and overtime. After the Chargers went up three to start, Tony Jefferson secured the win by intercepting Jalen Hurts near the goal line.
The Chargers will finish the season with three of their last four games played on the road. They have upcoming trips to Kansas City and Dallas over the next two weeks. After that, they will host the rising Houston Texans in Week 17 before concluding the season in Denver.
