Justin Herbert — Week 3: Intercepted at the One, Up Three
2026 NFL Season · Half-PPR Scoring · Monday, Sep 28
Herbert completed 20 of 34 throws for 226 yards, a touchdown and an interception, and was sacked twice. Up 13–10 early in the fourth, third and 5 at the Buffalo 23, he was intercepted at the 1 and it was returned 41 yards, the largest loss on any Chargers play; Buffalo scored the go-ahead touchdown on the next drive, in a 24–16 loss to the Bills.
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13 to 10, Chargers, 13 38 left in the fourth quarter, third and five at the Buffalo 23. It was the third snap of a possession that had started at the Bills 28, after a Josh Allen fumble the Chargers won with a challenge. Justin Herbert threw deep middle for Marquez Valdes-Scantling, 22 yards in the air, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson intercepted it at the Buffalo one and returned it 41 yards to the 42. −5.8 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 loss on any Chargers pass or run. Buffalo went 58 yards from there for the touchdown that put it ahead for good.
The line: 20 completions on 34 throws, 226 yards, one touchdown, one interception, two sacks, −6.4 expected points on 36 pass plays. Nine of 16 for 85 yards before halftime, 11 of 18 for a hundred 41 after. The touchdown was third and one at the Buffalo one on the first Chargers possession, which started at the Bills 47 after a James Cook fumble: short middle to Keaton Mitchell. Six throws went 20 or more yards in the air: one caught, 29 yards to Ladd McConkey with two 36 left and the Chargers down 11, one intercepted, four incomplete. On third down he had 12 pass plays, 11 throws, five completions and four conversions, and ran twice, seven yards on third and three and one on third and one, both first downs. Four runs for 17 yards in all, two of them scrambles. Both sacks were by Rousseau. Down 17 to 13 with six 47 left, the possession went scramble for three, sack, incomplete for Quentin Johnston on third and 10 and incomplete for Kimani Vidal on fourth and 10. With two 10 left, on second and seven at the Buffalo 15, a strip-sack returned 87 yards for a touchdown was overturned on review to an incompletion.
The ball went seven times to Tre Harris, six to Johnston, five to McConkey, four to Alec Ingold, three each to Mitchell, Oronde Gadsden and Vidal, once each to Omarion Hampton and Valdes-Scantling, and one throw carries no receiver.
Back in June the preview made no call on Herbert, and named the interception rate, after 13 last season, and the sack count as the two things to watch. Week 1 added one interception and three sacks, Week 2 two and three. Sunday was one and two, and the one came up three in the fourth quarter. Three games: 52 of 88, 627 yards, three touchdown passes, four interceptions, eight sacks, and three losses. Sunday was his most yards and fewest sacks of the three. Three games settle little. The Chargers are at the Seahawks on Sunday the fourth.
_Data via nflverse._
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