Justin Herbert — Week 2: Two Interceptions, Both by Masses
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 21
Herbert completed 15 of 27 throws for 192 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, both caught by Hezekiah Masses, and was sacked three times. His 53-yard completion to Tre Harris on third and five set up a 10-yard touchdown to Oronde Gadsden and the Chargers' only lead, and a holding call in his own end zone became a late safety, in a 26–14 loss to the Raiders.
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10 to seven, Raiders, 11 14 left in the third quarter, third and five at the Chargers 42. Justin Herbert threw deep left to Tre Harris, who was pushed out at the Las Vegas five, 53 yards. +4.6 expected points added — expected points added is what a play was worth given down, distance and field position — and +18.1 points of win probability, the chance of winning the game after the play against before it, the largest gain by any pass or run on either side. The next snap was aborted and Keaton Mitchell fell on it at the 10. The snap after that, second and goal from the 10, Herbert threw short right to Oronde Gadsden for the touchdown, 14 to 10. It was the only lead the Chargers had, and it lasted five minutes and 54 seconds of game clock.
The line: 15 of 27, a hundred 92 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions, three sacks, −0.6 expected points on 30 pass plays. Seven of 15 for 79 yards before halftime, eight of 12 for a hundred 13 after. Hezekiah Masses caught both interceptions. The first was third and five at the Chargers 22 with three 26 left in the first quarter, no score, deep left for David Njoku, picked at the Las Vegas 48 and returned 29 yards — −4.6 expected points and −13.5 points of win probability, and the defense held at the one afterward. The second was third and 11 with two 29 left, down 10, short left for Derius Davis, −3.3. Eight throws carry the deep label; two were caught, the 53 and a 19-yarder to Ladd McConkey, and one was the first interception. The fourth quarter also held a sack at his own two on first down, a sack and fumble on third and seven that Harris recovered 10 yards downfield, and, with one 46 left from his own six, a holding call on Joe Alt in the end zone for a safety. Two aborted snaps, one scramble for two yards.
On third down he had 11 pass plays: 10 throws, five completions, and all five moved the chains. The Chargers converted five of 14, every one of them on those completions, and a sixth third down was extended by a pass interference call drawn by Harris. The ball went five times to Quentin Johnston, three each to Njoku, Brenen Thompson, McConkey, Charlie Kolar and Harris, two each to Omarion Hampton and Gadsden, once each to Mitchell and Davis, and one throw carries no receiver.
Back in June the preview made no call on Herbert — the tenth quarterback at pick 82 after a tenth-to-eleventh finish, with 13 interceptions the number that had capped him and 54 sacks the number the offseason rebuild was meant to answer. Week 1 added one interception and three sacks. Sunday added two and three. Through two games that is three interceptions, six sacks, two touchdown passes, and two losses by the same 26 to 14 score. Two games is a small count, and both of the preview's questions are running the same direction they ran last year. The Chargers are at the Bills on Sunday the 20-seventh.
_Data via nflverse._
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