Short-Handed Chargers Win Ugly, Just How Jim Harbaugh Likes It

As his teams have so often done over the years, Jim Harbaugh's injury-riddled Bolts found a way to get it done in an overtime win against the Eagles, bolstering their playoff hopes for the stretch run.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with safety Tony Jefferson after an overtime win over the Eagles. / Katelyn Mulcahy / Getty Images

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — There was plenty of bad from Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert playing with one good hand against the Eagles, but there was just enough good in Monday night’s heinous game that probably looked a lot better on the “Monsters Funday Football” alternate broadcast. 

It’s fitting that the monsters were more entertaining than the humans at times because Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh specializes in hideous games. He’s the Victor Frankenstein of coaching and the game plan around Herbert’s padded left claw was his latest creation. 

Herbert, who had surgery on his non-throwing hand last week, managed to get under center to help establish the run, making that more than enough for Harbaugh’s Chargers to cling to a 22–19 overtime victory—with plenty of help from Jalen Hurts making several ugly plays of his own despite having two good hands. 

Hurts had the Eagles in position to steal the game at SoFi Stadium, but cornerback Cam Hart was able to tip his final pass into the arms of safety Tony Jefferson for the game-ending interception. Once again, the Chargers found a way to win despite all the injuries that have piled up this season. 

For whatever reason, we keep counting out the Chargers when injuries occur, but Harbaugh and his staff now have this team at 9–4 and still have the 11–2 Broncos in sight for the AFC West crown. Maybe what we saw from the Chargers’ offense on Monday night won’t get it done against the stout defenses of the Chiefs, Texans and Broncos, three of L.A.’s final four opponents, the other being the Cowboys. But the Chargers are a lot more than Herbert’s one good hand and their defense is capable of winning in ugly fashion. 

The magic number for the Chargers might be 10 wins to make the postseason in the AFC, with the only competition from those outside the current playoff picture maybe being ol’ friend Philip Rivers if he decides to come out of retirement at age 44 to help the Colts (8–5), who just lost Daniel Jones to an Achilles injury. The Ravens, Chiefs and Dolphins technically remain in the mix, but might be too far behind with identical 6–7 records. But the Chargers shouldn’t be worried about the teams behind them because everything is still in front of them despite all the obstacles this season. 

Herbert failed to secure the ball a handful of times, including losing grip when linebacker Nakobe Dean broke through the offensive line with ease in the second quarter for a strip sack. Later in the quarter, Herbert threw a floater that might have slipped out of his hand, which Adoree’ Jackson intercepted, leading to a missed 48-yard field goal from Jake Elliott to mercifully end one of the ugliest halves of football this season. 

But the rare good plays came early from a one-handed Herbert, setting the tone for the upset victory over the reeling Eagles, losers of three consecutive games. On the opening drive, Herbert had a dump-off to backup running back Kimani Vidal, who took off for a 60-yard catch-and-run to set up a four-yard touchdown pass to starting rookie running back Omarion Hampton. 

There was a lone positive from Hampton, the first-round pick, missing seven games before returning Monday night, because Vidal, a 2024 sixth-round pick, managed to carve out a role for himself. The duo gives the Chargers some semblance of what they initially wanted to do offensively this season before the season-ending injuries to veteran running back Najee Harris and bookend tackles Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. Herbert finished 12-of-26 for 139 yards, one touchdown and one interception, and added 10 carries for a team-high 66 yards.

Monday night’s win was monumental for the banged-up Chargers’ playoff hopes. They found a way when the ugly game plan collapsed on Saquon Barkley’s 52-yard go-ahead touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. And found a different way when they gave Philly new life in overtime with a neutral zone infraction to hand over a new set of downs before the killer fourth interception from Hurts. 

What Harbaugh concocted for his banged-up team against Philly’s stout defense could be the building blocks for improved game plans for Herbert vs. the elite defenses of the Chiefs, Texans and Broncos. Yes, that’s a murderous row of defenses, but Herbert and his one good hand won’t have to do it alone. 

That was a team effort that transpired over the course of nearly four hours Monday. It was an ugly game, but Harbaugh–led teams tend to thrive amid hideous conditions.

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