Alright, the good news is the Los Angeles Chargers are now 6-3 after a 27-20 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The bad news? There are still plenty of questions about whether this team can actually make the playoffs.
Right off the bat, the Chargers saw a nightmare scenario unfold when left tackle Joe Alt was carted off with an ankle injury — the same one he suffered back in Week 4 against the New York Giants. It happened again Sunday in the second quarter. The team got Alt back for just one full game and a quarter before he went down again. His status is unknown, but the numbers are telling: the Chargers are 4-0 when Alt plays a full game and 2-3 when he doesn’t.
Quarterback Justin Herbert had a rough start but settled in, completing 19 of 29 passes for 250 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Still, he spent most of the day under siege, getting sacked six times and hit 11 — the fourth game this season he’s been hit double digits.
The protection issues only got worse when right tackle Bobby Hart exited in the first quarter with a groin injury, followed by Alt in the second. Trey Pipkins slid to right tackle while Jamaree Salyer moved to the left side. Both linemen’s injuries appeared similar, with defenders crashing into their legs from the opposite side of the field.
© Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt (76) is carted off after an injury during the second quarter against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025.
The interior wasn’t much better. With right guard Mekhi Becton out due to a knee injury, the Titans’ front bullied the Chargers’ offensive line for much of the game.
Despite being short-handed themselves, the Titans started strong. On the second play of the Chargers’ first drive, Herbert’s pass over the middle to Keenan Allen was read perfectly by linebacker Cody Barton, who jumped the route for a 24-yard pick-six to make it 7-0 Tennessee.
Fortunately, Herbert has a short memory. On the next drive, he marched the Chargers down the field with completions to Tre Harris (15 yards) and tight end Oronde Gadsden (34 yards). Two plays later, he found fullback Scott Matlock for a two-yard touchdown — the first of Matlock’s career — to tie the game.
After a Titans punt, the Chargers offense stalled. On 3rd-and-9 from their own 13-yard line, Herbert was sacked by Dre’Mont Jones, forcing a punt. JK Scott launched a 60-yarder, but returner Chimere Dike took it 67 yards to the house, giving Tennessee a 14-7 lead — with 14 of those points coming off Chargers’ mistakes.
Herbert responded again late in the half, connecting with rookie Ladd McConkey twice for 37 yards before threading a perfect ball between two defenders to Quentin Johnston in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown, putting the Chargers ahead 17-14. Both teams exchanged field goals before halftime, and the Bolts led 20-17 at the break.
The Chargers went three-and-out to open the second half, and rookie quarterback Cam Ward led Tennessee on a promising drive. He found receiver Elic Ayomanor twice for 40 yards total, setting the Titans up in the red zone. Facing 4th-and-goal from the one-yard line, running back Tony Pollard was stuffed by linebacker Denzel Perryman and safety Elijah Molden for a huge turnover on downs.
From there, Herbert engineered a 99-yard dagger of a drive. Completions to Gadsden (16 yards), Allen (10), and Johnston (23) set the tone, with key runs from Kimani Vidal, Jaret Patterson, and Herbert himself. The drive ended with a sliding Herbert touchdown run to seal the win.
A win is a win — but this was another ugly one for the Chargers.
With the trade deadline looming, Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz have just 48 hours to decide whether to make a move. Offensive line help should be the top priority, but finding quality linemen midseason won’t be easy. Running back depth could also help — maybe they make a call to Tennessee about Tony Pollard, who had 10 carries for 56 yards, or inquire about defensive linemen like Dre’Mont Jones (1.5 sacks) or T’Vondre Sweat.
The Chargers have the pieces to be a good team, but the offensive line and defensive injuries continue to drag them down. If Alt misses significant time, their playoff hopes could fade fast.
Harbaugh was visibly frustrated on the sideline Sunday, dropping his head multiple times. The Chargers need to find answers quickly — because Denver and Kansas City aren’t slowing down.