Chargers expect to have QB Justin Herbert for Monday night showdown against reeling Eagles

Philadelphia (8-4) at Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)

Monday, 8:15 p.m. EST, ABC/ESPN

BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 3

Against the spread: Eagles 7-5; Chargers 5-6-1

Series record: Chargers lead 8-5

Last meeting: Chargers beat Eagles 27-24 in Philadelphia on Nov. 7, 2021.

Last week: Eagles lost to Bears 24-15; Chargers beat Raiders 31-14.

Eagles offense: overall (24), rush (22), pass (23), scoring (19).

Eagles defense: overall (25), rush (24), pass (T-19), scoring (T-9).

Chargers offense: overall (10), rush (12), pass (12), scoring (18).

Chargers defense: overall (3), rush (13), pass (2), scoring (11).

Turnover differential: Eagles plus-5; Chargers minus-1.

DT Moro Ojomo has been a useful player in Philadelphia's defensive front all season, but will have to take on a bigger role with star Jalen Carter (shoulder) sidelined this week. In his third season out of Texas, Ojomo has emerged with 28 tackles, a team-leading four sacks, four tackles for loss and eight quarterback hits. Ojomo has shown a particular knack for timely plays, such as his alert recognition of a Packers’ fourth down run to help the Eagles hold on for a 10-7 win on Nov. 10.

OLB Tuli Tuipulotu dominated the Raiders’ offensive line for two sacks and four tackles for loss, giving him five sacks and nine tackles for loss in his past five games. Tuipulotu has a career-high 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss, leading the Chargers in both categories. His ability to disrupt will be crucial if the Eagles continue to lean heavily toward the pass.

Chargers QB Justin Herbert vs. Eagles’ pass rush. Herbert, who expects to play despite having surgery Monday to repair a broken bone in his non-throwing hand, has been sacked 38 times this season. Philadelphia has struggled to consistently bring down quarterbacks this season, sitting tied for 22nd with 24 sacks. If defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s group cannot force the Chargers into obvious passing downs and bring Herbert down consistently this week, the Eagles might never recapture last season’s Super Bowl-winning form.

Eagles: Carter had surgery on both shoulders Monday, ruling him out for this week. ... RT Lane Johnson (foot) will miss his third straight game.

Chargers: Herbert didn’t practice Wednesday, but got limited work the rest of the week. He is listed as questionable, but all indications are Herbert will start. … RB Omarion Hampton (fractured ankle) looks set to play for the first time since Week 5.

Herbert threw for 356 yards and accounted for three touchdowns in the previous meeting between the Eagles and Chargers in 2021. … The Eagles and Chargers have played only two games decided by double figures, with Philadelphia winning by 16 in 1986 and by 10 in 2001. … The Chargers’ biggest win in the series was a 31-23 triumph in 2009. … This will be the Eagles’ first game against the Chargers in SoFi Stadium.

The Eagles finished with 87 rushing yards against the Bears, marking the seventh time this season they have failed to reach the 100-yard mark. … QB Jalen Hurts had gone five straight games without an interception before he was picked off by Bears safety and former teammate Kevin Byard. Hurts finished with 230 yards passing and two touchdowns. … Philadelphia has committed four turnovers in its past two games after losing three fumbles and one interception over its first 10 games. … WR A.J. Brown had a season-high 132 yards receiving on 10 catches with two touchdowns against Chicago, marking his first career game with double-digit receptions, 100 yards and two scores. … CB Quinyon Mitchell is allowing a completion rate of 41.9% as the primary defender in coverage. That is second in the NFL behind Buccaneers CB Jamel Dean at 40.5%. … The Eagles haven’t lost three in a row since Week 13-15 of the 2023 season as part of their late-season collapse. … TE Dallas Goedert has a career-high seven touchdown receptions this season but none over the past four weeks. He has topped 50 yards receiving this season once, finishing with 110 yards in a loss to the Giants in Week 6 … The Chargers held the Raiders to 31 yards rushing, the second time this season the defense has held an opponent under 40 yards on the ground. They allowed 34 yards to the Vikings in Week 8. … Herbert has thrown 11 touchdowns to six interceptions in six true home games this season. He had 11 touchdowns to two interceptions in eight home games in 2024. … RB Kimani Vidal rushed for a career-high 126 yards against the Raiders. It was Vidal’s third career 100-yard game, all of which have come this season. … The Chargers are leading the AFC and rank second in the league in third down efficiency, converting on 48.3% of their opportunities. … S Tony Jefferson had an interception against the Raiders after being a healthy scratch for the previous three games. … The Chargers are 2-2 on Mondays at SoFi Stadium, having lost their past two games. … Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh has the eighth-best winning rate in NFL history with a minimum of 60 regular-season games at 68.3% (63-29-1) Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni is sixth at 70% (56-24).

Eagles RB Saquon Barkley might be the biggest disappointment in fantasy, with one 100-yard game this season and two touchdowns in his past seven games. If ever there was a week for the Eagles to force-feed their star tailback in an effort to get back on track, doing it against a hit-or-miss Chargers’ run defense would bode well.

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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) celebrates with tight end Oronde Gadsden II (86) after throwing a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Los Angeles Chargers running back Jaret Patterson (32) is tackled by Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Leki Fotu (95) during the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni stands on the sidelines during the first half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

Chicago Bears running back D'Andre Swift (4), left, and Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Nakobe Dean (17) vie for a loose ball during the first half of an NFL football game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11) jumps over Chicago Bears cornerback Nahshon Wright (26) to score a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers had to adjust on the fly after Justin Herbert broke a bone in his non-throwing hand last Sunday.

As optimistic as they are that Herbert will be ready to start against the visiting Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, the Chargers (8-4) have spent this week accounting for every possible contingency.

“I think you got to try to look at it from all the different angles, you know, as you prepare,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said. “What if this happens? What if that happens?”

Planning went into practice during a 31-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, when Herbert had to play the final three quarters with his left hand in a hard cast and protective glove. The injury prevented Herbert from taking snaps under center, with the Chargers using shotgun and pistol formations the rest of the way.

“It’s just a good reminder you really need to work through these contingencies in your mind,” Roman said. “A lot of what we practiced that week went out the window. So, really, hats off to Justin and really everybody.”

Herbert had surgery on Monday and was back at practice Thursday, leaving an organization that typically treats such matters as state secrets expressing an unusually public degree of belief he will be ready to go against the NFC East-leading Eagles (8-4). Herbert was listed as “questionable” on the injury report Saturday following three straight days of limited practices.

“That's the plan, is to prepare as if I'm going to play,” Herbert said Wednesday. “See how the next couple days goes, and do everything I can to be out there for the team and for the guys.”

However, that does not necessarily mean Herbert will be able to run the full offense. Backup Trey Lance worked with the first unit on Wednesday, and coach Jim Harbaugh has said the third overall pick in the 2021 draft would be prepared for situations where the Chargers might need to be under center, such as in short yardage or at the goal line.

Roman has used quarterback platoons at times, but never because of an injury like Herbert's.

“It was because of, you know, trying to throw some trickeration at people,” Roman said. “But, no, I mean, we’ll do whatever it takes.”

The uncertainty carries over to the Eagles, where defensive coordinator Vic Fangio has also been devising plans for Herbert and Lance, who has not thrown a touchdown pass in the NFL since Jan. 2, 2022, the last game of his rookie season with the San Francisco 49ers.

“We’ll have to prepare for both quarterbacks,” Fangio said. “Probably knowing that if Herbert plays, he’ll be in the pistol a lot and in the gun. Yeah, we’ll have to be ready for both.”

Philadelphia’s offense has absorbed the bulk of the blame for the team's struggles of late. Yet, it was the defense — especially the line — that got whipped against the Bears, when the unit allowed 281 yards. Chicago had two 100-yard rushers in a game for the first time since its dominant Super Bowl-winning 1985 season.

“I didn’t do a good enough job of preparing our squad for the quality and the diversity of their run game,” Fangio said. “We didn’t play the run and the blocks the way we had been playing.”

Herbert has experience going against Fangio’s schemes, having faced him four times from 2020-21 when Fangio was head coach of the Denver Broncos. Herbert went 2-2, throwing for 1,071 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions. Both wins were at home, and he did not throw a pick in those games.

Although the Eagles have allowed over 400 yards of offense in consecutive games for the first time under Fangio, Herbert expects a big response this week.

“We know how good their defense is, and we watch the film, and it doesn’t take long to turn it on and see the plays they make,” Herbert said. “They have guys on that side of the ball that are game-wreckers. And at the same time, they’re really well-coached, and it makes for a dangerous combination.”

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni has stood behind offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, both professionally amid the offense's struggles and personally, after Patullo’s New Jersey home was vandalized with eggs over the weekend.

Sirianni said he’s leaned on advice he was given early in his coaching career: “Give strength to the people that need it.”

“I always thought that was really good,” Sirianni said. “Pick up people that need it, and that’s your job as a leader to do that. That’s why the relationship portion of it is so important because there are ups and there are downs in relationships.”

Patullo appreciated Sirianni’s trust in him to turn around a unit that is running out of time to perform like one that's capable of winning another Super Bowl. Saquon Barkley and Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts have seen their production dip, while former 1,000-yard receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are behind the pace of their career averages. The Eagles are averaging 62.4 fewer yards per game and 4.7 fewer points than last season.

Coming off their bye week, the Chargers turned in arguably their best offensive performance since tackle Joe Alt was lost for the season on Nov. 2 in the win over the Raiders. To Harbaugh, it was clear the time off benefited the offensive line, with multiple players getting healthy and Jamaree Salyer having the chance to work exclusively at left tackle after previously splitting time at right guard. That switch will be permanent for the remainder of the season, Harbaugh said.

Harbaugh was especially pleased with the run blocking, which set the stage for 192 yards and two scores on the ground, and believes the front five has found some consistency without Alt.

“These are high (level), elite football players that have gotten their opportunity,” Harbaugh said. “Their playing is healthy and together and good. ... That bodes well for us down the stretch.”

AP Sports Writer Dan Gelston in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

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Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni speaks after his team's loss to the Chicago Bears in an NFL football game, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Los Angeles Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh reacts on the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown (11), right, celebrates his touchdown with quarterback Jalen Hurts (1) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Chicago Bears, Friday, Nov. 28, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) walks off the field after an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)