Philadelphia Eagles (8–4) at Los Angeles Chargers (8–4) | Monday, 8:15 p.m. ET ABC/ESPN | Series: Chargers lead 8–5 | Last meeting: Chargers 27, Eagles 24 (Nov. 7, 2021)
The Los Angeles Chargers and Philadelphia Eagles meet Monday night in a matchup loaded with playoff implications, injury intrigue, and two teams moving in opposite directions. The Chargers have surged back into AFC contention, while the Eagles arrive in Los Angeles trying to halt a two-game skid and prevent a worrying December slide.
Last week highlighted their contrasting momentum. The Eagles fell 24–15 to the Chicago Bears, continuing an offensive downturn that has seen turnovers pile up after an unusually clean start to the season. Meanwhile, the Chargers dominated the Raiders 31–14 behind a resurgent ground game and a defense that smothered Las Vegas from start to finish.
Monday marks Philadelphia’s first trip to SoFi Stadium to face the Chargers, and recent history suggests a tight game: of the 13 meetings between these franchises, only two have been decided by double digits. Their 2021 matchup ended with Justin Herbert outdueling Jalen Hurts in a 356-yard performance.
This time, both teams again rely heavily on their star quarterbacks—but with very different concerns.
Herbert’s status is the storyline of the week. The Chargers quarterback expects to play just six days after surgery to repair a broken bone in his non-throwing hand. He has been sacked 38 times this season, a troubling number for a team facing a defense that—while underperforming—still has the personnel to cause problems.
Philadelphia’s pass rush, a dominant force during last year’s Super Bowl-winning run, has been surprisingly quiet in 2025. The Eagles rank tied for 22nd in the NFL with just 24 sacks. If Vic Fangio’s unit cannot generate consistent heat, Herbert is capable of dissecting any secondary—as the Eagles learned firsthand in 2021.
Protecting Herbert becomes even more crucial given his recent inconsistency at home. In six true home games this season, he has thrown 11 touchdowns against six interceptions—a steeper ratio than last year’s 11 touchdowns and two interceptions at home.
The Eagles’ offensive identity has wavered. A once-feared run game has failed to reach 100 yards in seven games this season, including just 87 yards last week in Chicago. Without that stability, the pressure falls heavier on Jalen Hurts, who threw two touchdowns but ended his five-game interception-free streak with a pick from former teammate Kevin Byard.
Turnovers have become an unexpected issue. Philadelphia had just four giveaways in its first 10 games but has matched that total in the past two.
A.J. Brown erupted for a season-high 132 yards and two touchdowns, earning his first career game with 10+ catches, 100+ yards, and 2+ TDs. Rookie corner Quinyon Mitchell continues to be a star in the making, allowing only a 41.9% completion rate—the second best in the league. Tight end Dallas Goedert, however, has cooled off after a strong start, failing to score in the past four games.
If the Eagles are to avoid their first three-game losing streak since their 2023 late-season collapse, they must rediscover offensive efficiency and finish drives without turnovers.
Jim Harbaugh’s squad continues to trend upward, powered by a surprisingly stingy run defense and a growing threat at running back.
The Chargers held the Raiders to just 31 rushing yards, the second time this year they’ve kept an opponent under 40 yards.
Running back Kimani Vidal posted a career-best 126 yards last week—his third 100-yard performance of the season.
Los Angeles has also excelled situationally, leading the AFC and ranking second in the NFL in third-down conversion rate at 48.3%. That efficiency has compensated for a passing attack still adjusting to Herbert’s roller-coaster health.
Safety Tony Jefferson, active for the first time in three weeks, made an immediate impact with an interception, further strengthening a secondary that has quietly stabilized.
However, the Chargers are just 2–2 in Monday night games at SoFi, losing their last two. Monday offers a chance to reverse that trend—and tighten the AFC playoff race.
This matchup also features two of the NFL’s winningest active coaches: Jim Harbaugh: 68.3% win rate (63-29-1), eighth in NFL history among those with 60+ games. Nick Sirianni: 70% win rate (56-24), sixth on the all-time list.
Both coaches lean heavily on physicality and discipline, setting up a fascinating test of wills.
A win for the Chargers (8–4) keeps them firmly in the AFC playoff chase and could help them challenge Kansas City for the AFC West.
A win for the Eagles (8–4) would halt their slide and reestablish them as legitimate contenders in a tightening NFC race.
A loss, however, would have very different consequences: For Philadelphia: a third straight defeat and mounting questions about whether last year’s magic can be recaptured. For Los Angeles: a missed opportunity at home and renewed scrutiny of Herbert’s health as December ramps up.
Given the Eagles’ recent offensive inconsistency and the Chargers’ rising confidence—especially on third downs and against the run—this shapes up as a game that stays tight into the fourth quarter. Herbert’s ability to protect the ball and withstand pressure may ultimately decide it.
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