What used to be an intense AFC West rivalry is now a bit muted with the Chargers limping into the fourth quarter of the season and the Raiders fumbling around in the dark, having lost nine of their last 10 games.
The Chargers, who began the season with three consecutive divisional victories, have a chance to pull off their first sweep of the season. The Raiders are looking to bounce back from a humiliating loss at home by two touchdowns to Cleveland.
Despite the Raiders’ record, the home team can’t get too comfortable.
“Raiders, it’s a rivalry,” Coach Jim Harbaugh said. “And we know they’re going to bring it.”
How the Raiders can win: Get in an offensive rhythm with interim play-caller Greg Olson, cleaning up the communication issues that were a problem in Chip Kelly’s system. Establish a ground game with Ashton Jeanty and mix in more Brock Bowers at tight end. Protect Geno Smith, who has been sacked 18 times in the past three games, including 10 times by Cleveland last week. Get after Justin Herbert, especially off the edges with Maxx Crosby, Malcolm Koonce and Tyree Wilson.
How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a cobbled-together and constantly-changing offensive line and get some traction with the ground game. The Raiders can bring pressure off the edge, but their linebackers struggle in coverage and they are vulnerable at corner opposite Eric Stokes. The Chargers have the receivers to get open, particularly Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II. The Raiders have some of the same offensive line problems as the Chargers. Smith could be in trouble.
Unable to handle Jacksonville’s ground game or its pass rush, the Chargers offered little resistance in a 35-6 defeat under blue skies at EverBank Stadium.
It was the worst loss of Jim Harbaugh’s 1½ seasons with the Chargers, and the club’s worst loss since a 63-21 thrashing by the Raiders on Dec. 14, 2023.
The Chargers proved as mild as the balmy weather, mustering a pair of field goals and making the Jaguars look like playoff contenders, even though Jacksonville had lost three of its previous four games.
The Jaguars ran for 192 yards — the Chargers got 42 in that department — and won the time-of-possession battle by almost 16 minutes.
Justin Herbert took a beating, spending some time in the blue medical tent, as the Chargers’ offensive line woes came home to roost in a big way. He was under heavy pressure on most of his drop-backs even though Jacksonville entered the game tied for last in sacks.
Three starters missing from the Jacksonville secondary? That didn’t seem to bother the Jaguars a bit, as Herbert was limited to 81 yards passing with an interception, and was sacked three times. He oversaw a Chargers offense that gained a total of five yards in its first three second-half possessions.
Herbert mercifully was replaced in the fourth quarter by backup Trey Lance, with the game long since decided. In fact, the Chargers pulled most of their starters with 11 minutes remaining.
Jacksonville was the scene of the crime where three years ago the Chargers blew a 27-point lead in a first-round playoff loss to the Jaguars.
Chargers wide receiver Ladd McConkey is tackled by Jaguars safety Andrew Wingard in the first half Sunday.
(Mike Carlson / Getty Images)
The first half Sunday was a forgettable one for the Chargers, who made their way to the locker room in a 14-6 hole.
Their biggest concern was Herbert, who was slammed to the turf on a fourth-down drop-back with 29 seconds to play.
The play had been whistled dead — left tackle Trevor Penning was lined up wrong — but that didn’t stop Jaguars defensive end B.J. Green from racing around the edge and obliterating the star quarterback. The Chargers didn’t even get the benefit of the roughing-the-passer call, as the penalties were offsetting.
Herbert headed to the blue medical tent and Lance began warming up.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh looks down on the sideline during a 35-6 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday.
(Doug Murray / Associated Press)
Chargers running back Kimani Vidal, promoted from the practice squad earlier this season after the team’s top two backs were injured, spent much of the first half on the sideline with a leg injury. The Chargers had promoted two more practice-squad running backs to play behind him.
In shambles is the Chargers’ offensive line. Penning, acquired in a trade with New Orleans two weeks ago, made his debut as the starting left tackle. Like his team, he struggled mightily all day.
Different team. Different time. But it’s back to the scene of the crime for the Chargers, who three years ago succumbed to a 27-point comeback in a playoff loss at Jacksonville.
This season’s Jaguars got off to a 4-1 start but have lost three of their last four to slip back into the pack. They don’t have star rookie Travis Hunter, who underwent surgery this week and will miss the remainder of the season.
The team plays hard for first-year coach Liam Coen, who said he wants quarterback Trevor Lawrence to “cut it loose and let it rip” when he sees opportunities down the field.
After opening the season 3-0, the Chargers lost three of four, but are now riding another three-game winning streak. Justin Herbert has been outstanding at times, despite being the most-hit quarterback in the NFL.
The Chargers defense is coming off a gem of a performance in a win over Pittsburgh. Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of 41 years old, and at one point the Steelers were 0 for 9 on third down.
How the Chargers can win: As usual, protect Herbert behind a patchwork offensive line. Jacksonville has struggled to pressure quarterbacks, especially with Travon Walker at less than full strength and a beat-up secondary. Get the ball to Ladd McConkey and Oronde Gadsden II, with some Keenan Allen mixed in. Don’t allow the Jaguars to control the game with the run.
How the Jaguars can win: Jacksonville can look like a playoff team when it wins at the line of scrimmage but tends to collapse when it gets pushed around. The Jaguars need to establish the run early and grind out some long drives because they do not get a lot of explosive plays. Get to Herbert quickly before he has a chance to attack that weakened secondary. Contain Herbert, too, because he can burn you with his feet.
Sam Farmer makes his picks and predictions for Week 11 of the NFL season, with the Rams defeating the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC West showdown at SoFi Stadium.
Denver Broncos linebacker and tackling savant Alex Singleton has long set a positive example for young football players in Southern California.
He holds annual free camps and clinics at his alma mater, Thousand Oaks High. He partners with the Special Olympics to raise awareness and support for his sister and others with disabilities. He brought the Thousand Oaks High team coached by his good friend Evan Yabu to SoFi Stadium to watch the Broncos play the Chargers.
And when Yabu became coach at Sherman Oaks Notre Dame High two years ago, he became a familiar face there as well.
But nothing he’s done can rival the message he posted Monday on social media revealing his testicular cancer diagnosis, subsequent surgery and hopeful quick recovery.
“I wrestled with sharing such personal information publicly,” he wrote. “But the fact is, if it helps one person decide to pay closer attention to their body, then it is well worth it.
“Early detection and regular screenings save lives and can save loved ones from a lot of grief.”
Singleton revealed that elevated levels of the hormone Human Chorionic Gonadotropin were discovered from a random NFL drug test. An exam by a urologist confirmed the cancer diagnosis last week. Yet he elected to play Thursday against the Las Vegas Raiders before undergoing surgery to remove the tumor Friday.
He told close friends on a group text that the drug test indicated he either was on steroids or had testicular cancer. He wrote that he doesn’t take steroids, so he planned to play in the game then go straight into surgery.
Singleton, the Broncos’ leading tackler and a team captain, had nine tackles in the Broncos’ 10-7 victory over the Raiders. He addressed teammates Monday.
“This morning, I stood before our team as a lucky man,” he posted on Instagram. “I shared with my teammates and coaches that I underwent successful surgery on Friday for testicular cancer after being diagnosed last week.
“Thankfully, we believe the cancer was caught early with a great prognosis for me and my family. While we are still awaiting some additional test results, I fully expect to return to the field in the coming weeks.”
Singleton, 31, is a tackling machine. He first gained national recognition when he recorded 21 total tackles and two tackles for loss in a win over the Chargers in 2022. His 19 solo tackles were second most in NFL history.
Last season, he suffered a torn ACL in the first quarter of a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but continued to play a remarkable 49 snaps, finishing with 10 tackles.
Singleton, who played at FCS school Montana State, has recorded at least 120 tackles four times and has a team-high 89 tackles in 10 games this season.
“[We’ll] be there for him, continue the fight with him,” Broncos linebacker Justin Strnad told reporters Monday. “I’m just glad everyone is here to support him…. Ultimate competitor, ultimate team player. He’s going to overcome it, and we’re all going to be here for him.”
Singleton’s wife, Sam, gave birth in February to their first child, a daughter named Tallyn Maye. Singleton recognizes that his health comes before football, telling reporters Monday that he will study the pathology report and be tested weekly. He said a CT scan showed that the cancer had not spread, but he is unsure how long he will be sidelined while recovering.
Not for the Chargers, whose defense put the clamps on the Pittsburgh Steelers with a 25-10 victory before a sea of black-and-gold-clad fans and a national TV audience.
Neither team had many offensive highlights — or first downs, for that matter — but the Chargers did enough to win their third game in a row, something they hadn’t done since the first three games of the season.
You might call the Chargers inhospitable, seeing as the Steelers came into the game averaging 25.3 points. You might call the Steelers inhospitable for filling SoFi Stadium with Pittsburgh fans.
The Terrible Towels were everywhere, but there were precious few opportunities to swirl them. By the fourth quarter, thousands of those fans were streaming for the exits. The Steelers were held to 11 first downs, converted two of 11 third downs and generated 221 total yards.
Aaron Rodgers looked every bit of his 41 years. He was sacked three times, intercepted twice, brought down in the end zone for a safety and he finished with an anemic passer rating of 50.6.
The Steelers looked nothing like the team that forced six turnovers against Indianapolis the week before and handed the Colts just their second loss.
In the waning moments, Keenan Allen caught a pop pass and ran seven yards to become the Chargers’ all-time receptions leader (956), surpassing Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates.
Rodgers couldn’t establish anything close to an offensive rhythm, and Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took an all-too-familiar beating, playing behind an offensive line that has had 19 different combinations this season.
Herbert was sacked five times, a week after the Tennessee Titans got to him six times.
Chargers linebacker Bud Dupree dances after sacking Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers on Sunday.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Steelers scored first with a 59-yard field goal by Chris Boswell in the opening quarter, but after that it was virtually all Chargers. Cameron Dicker had three field goals, and Ladd McConkey and Kimani Vidal scored touchdowns.
Rodgers threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Roman Wilson with 2 minutes 57 seconds remaining, but that was merely a cosmetic score that made the game appear a bit closer.
Herbert took a hit from behind in the second quarter, was slow to his feet and got both ankles taped on the sideline.
According to NBC, he came into the game having been pressured an average of 17 times per game, more than any other quarterback this season, and having absorbed an average of nine hits per game, second-highest for an NFL quarterback in the last 20 seasons.
Even though they leaned into a bunch of quick-developing pass plays to get the ball out of Herbert’s hands quickly, the Chargers still saw their quarterback knocked down time and again. His passes were batted down at the line of scrimmage too, with one winding up back in Herbert’s hands for a reception (although that was wiped out by a Pittsburgh penalty).
The Chargers’ defense got to Rodgers as well, putting the first points on the scoreboard for the home team by sacking the future Hall of Famer in the end zone.
The Chargers next head to Jacksonville. The Jaguars, who got off to a 4-1 start, have lost three of four.
Jacksonville is the site of a horrible memory for the Chargers, who blew a 27-point lead there to suffer a one-point loss in a January 2023 playoff game.
Both the Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers are coming off victories, with the Chargers winning in Tennessee, and the Steelers forcing six turnovers to hand the Indianapolis Colts just their second loss.
The Chargers lost left tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury and once again have to reshuffle an offensive line that has been in a constant state of flux.
Rodgers has rediscovered his spark in Pittsburgh and consistently puts the football in the right places.
How the Chargers can win: Protect Herbert with quick-developing pass routes that allow him to get the ball out of his hands. Pittsburgh’s edge rush of T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig can create havoc if Herbert holds the ball too long. Attack the corners. Joey Porter Jr. has been penalty-prone, and Darius Slay isn’t as fast as he once was. The Steelers often struggle covering tight ends, so Oronde Gadsden II could be in line for a big game.
How the Steelers can win: Generate pressure and turnovers. When the Steelers force mistakes, they win. Let Watt and Highsmith collapse the pocket and make Herbert uncomfortable behind a patchwork Chargers line. Keep Rodgers clean and balanced with an efficient mix of Kenneth Gainwell and Jaylen Warren runs to control tempo. Defensively, stay disciplined in coverage with Jalen Ramsey and Kyle Dugger as the new safety tandem.
Trevor Penning couldn’t help but smile and chuckle after arriving in the brisk El Segundo weather from New Orleans early Wednesday morning.
It was fewer than 24 hours after he’d been told of the trade of which he wasn’t expecting, standing in front of his new end-of-the-hallway locker in the Chargers’ clubhouse. A placard listing Penning’s high school-recruiting rating, and the schools he attended, had yet to be placed atop his stall next to long snapper Josh Harris.
“It’s pretty crazy — overnight,” said the fourth-year offensive lineman, a former 2022 first-round draft pick of the Saints. “You get five more wins on [the record]. … I’m excited to be here.”
Penning, acquired by the Chargers (6-3) just before the NFL trade deadline Tuesday — New Orleans received a 2027 sixth-round draft pick in exchange for the 6-foot-7, 325-pound tackle — joins a team fighting with the Broncos atop the AFC West.
When the Northern Iowa alumnus checked into the Saints’ facility Monday, he was on a team with the worst record (1-8) in the NFC.
Now, Penning will try to bolster the Chargers’ protection of quarterback Justin Herbert, who has been sacked 28 times — third most among all NFL quarterbacks this season. The Chargers were in desperate need of a lineman after losing offensive tackle Joe Alt to a season-ending ankle injury.
“[Penning’s] just getting the basics down of just getting our cadences and getting adjusted to our play calls and things like that,” Herbert said. “Obviously, I’ve known of him, and obviously, [I’m] a big fan. A lot of respect for his game. It’s a cool opportunity — I’m sure he’ll pick up the offense very quickly.”
Penning said that he, like many football players and fans, had been familiar with Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh‘s attitude and approach while growing up. The formerly unranked high school prospect from Clear Lake, Iowa — turned Missouri Valley Football Conference star — said he believed his traits on and off the field match the Chargers’ culture.
“It’s good to hear,” Harbaugh said when asked about Penning’s comments. “I like guys who like football. Guys who like football seem to like me back. … [Penning] strikes me as a guy who’s all about his business, and came in [and] has done everything right. Really happy that we have him on our team.”
The Chargers have worked Penning at both tackle spots during practice this week. He played left tackle in 2022 and 2023, right tackle in 2024, and some left guard in 2025.
Where and how Penning fits is still a question waiting to be answered, and Sunday’s game against the Steelers could provide answers.
Penning is ready for the fresh start awaiting him.
“I’m excited to play anywhere they need me,” Penning said. “I think I have the versatility.”
COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — Woodrow Lowe, a three-time All-American linebacker at Alabama and an 11-year starter for the NFL’s San Diego Chargers, has died. He was 71.
Lowe died at his home in Collierville, Tenn., on Thursday, according to the National Football Foundation.
Lowe was a 2009 NFF Hall of Fame inductee. He starred at Alabama (1972-75) and was the second player in program history to make the first-team All-America list three times. He helped the Crimson Tide make the Sugar Bowl in 1973, losing to eventual national champion Notre Dame, and was a consensus All-America selection the following year.
“Woodrow Lowe was one of the finest linebackers ever to play the game, and we are deeply saddened to learn of his passing,” NFF Chairman Archie Manning said. “A three-time All-American and one of the most decorated linebackers in college football history, he defined excellence at one of the top programs in the country.
“After his playing days, he dedicated himself to shaping young lives as a coach and mentor, carrying forward the lessons of excellence and dedication that defined his own career. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the entire Alabama football community.”
Born June 9, 1954, in Columbus, Ga., Lowe got his football start at Phenix City Central High in Alabama. He stayed in state for college and set a single-season record at Alabama with 134 tackles in 1973. The Tide went 43-5 during his four seasons in Tuscaloosa, and his 315 career tackles still rank fourth in school history.
A fifth-round draft pick by the Chargers in 1976, Lowe played in 164 of 165 possible games during his NFL career and tallied 21 interceptions, including four returned for touchdowns.
He coached at the high school, college and professional levels before retiring in Tennessee.
Lowe also was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, the Sugar Bowl Hall of Fame and the Senior Bowl Hall of Fame.
NASHVILLE — The Chargers won the battle but lost the warrior.
They held off the Tennessee Titans 27-20, but saw their outstanding left tackle Joe Alt go down with the same injured ankle that sidelined him earlier this season.
It was a troubling and ominous blow Sunday to a franchise that’s in a constant state of reshuffling its offensive line and unable to sufficiently protect quarterback Justin Herbert. Before losing Alt, the Chargers lost right tackle Bobby Hart to what they called a groin injury (but looked to be a hurt leg).
On a cool and overcast day, the Chargers had enough to get past the one-win Titans — the Chargers (6-3) were favored by 9½ points — but will face far stiffer competition in the second half of the season. The Titans haven’t won at home since last Nov. 4.
Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh helps offensive tackle Bobby Hart off the field in the first half.
(John Amis / Associated Press)
Herbert, who ran for 62 yards in the Week 8 win over Minnesota, again provided the bulk of the Chargers’ running game. He led all rushers with 57 yards in nine carries, including a one-yard touchdown.
The Titans fired coach Brian Callahan last month after the team got off to a 1-5 start, putting in place interim coach Mike McCoy, who was head coach of the San Diego Chargers from 2013 to 2016.
The Chargers absorbed a huge blow in the second quarter when Alt went down with an ankle injury, the same ankle that caused him to miss three games earlier this season. Alt, the best player on the offensive line, had returned for the Week 8 game against Minnesota and his presence was noticeable in both run blocking and protection of Herbert’s blind side.
Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston catches a touchdown pass next to Tennessee Titans cornerback Jalyn Armour-Davis during the first half Sunday.
(John Amis / Associated Press)
But Sunday, he was felled by 285-pound Titans edge rusher Jihad Ward, who was blocked into the back of Alt’s legs. Alt sat on the turf for a few minutes, surrounded by Chargers medical staff, before a cart rolled onto the field to take him off.
It was the latest setback for an offensive line besieged by them this season, and an indication that Herbert will remain the most hit and harassed quarterback in the league this season.
Even though the Titans were without defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons, their best player, Herbert was still under near-constant pressure.
Herbert threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half, although his first throw was abysmal. It was straight into the arms of Tennessee linebacker Cody Barton, who turned the visitors’ second play from scrimmage into a 24-yard pick-six.
As he does virtually every week, Herbert picked up some big gains with his feet. He had a 39-yard scramble in the second quarter, and rolled out in the fourth and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season, sliding in from a yard out. That capped a 15-play, nine-minute, 99-yard drive in response to a goal-line stand.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is sacked by Tennessee Titans linebacker Jihad Ward during the second half Sunday.
(George Walker IV / Associated Press)
The Titans (1-8), who have had troubles moving the ball in the red zone, scored their second touchdown of the half on a 67-yard punt return by rookie Chimere Dike, who leads the NFL in all-purpose yards.
Those issues in the red zone were on display in the third quarter, when the Titans had four plays inside the 10 and couldn’t score, including third and fourth downs from the one.
Anchoring the middle of the Chargers’ defense was Daiyan Henley, playing two days after his older brother was shot and killed. After a sack in the first half, the third-year linebacker dropped to his knees and turned his palms to the sky and held out his hands in prayer.
Edge rusher Odafe Oweh had a pair of sacks, bringing his total to four in four games since being traded to the Chargers by Baltimore last month.
