Raiders vs. Chargers: What the 26–14 Result Says and When They Meet Again

The short answer: the Raiders beat the Chargers 26–14 on Sunday, September 20, 2026, at SoFi Stadium. The 2026 matchup is not finished, though. The NFL schedule lists a second meeting on Sunday, December 13, 2026, when the Chargers visit the Raiders. Kickoff is listed for 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS. NFL Game Center · NFL schedule

The 26–14 score was not a total-yardage blowout

The game-center numbers show a much narrower statistical contest than the final score suggests. Los Angeles produced 310 total net yards to Las Vegas’s 305, recorded 17 first downs to the Raiders’ 14, and led in rushing yards, 127 to 57. The Chargers also held the ball for 32:17, compared with 27:43 for Las Vegas.

The clearest separation came in turnovers and passing touchdowns. Los Angeles lost three turnovers while Las Vegas lost one. Kirk Cousins finished 19 of 29 for 253 yards, three touchdowns, and one interception. Justin Herbert finished 15 of 27 for 192 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions.

That supports a more useful reading than “the Raiders outplayed the Chargers everywhere.” The Raiders did not own every volume category; they turned their passing production into more touchdowns and avoided one more damaging mistake. For understanding this game, finishing possessions and protecting the ball mattered more than simply accumulating yards or controlling the clock.

The December rematch is a separate test

The schedule flips the setting for the second meeting: Chargers at Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. That matters because the September result establishes what happened in one game, not whether the same pattern will repeat in Las Vegas.

The first meeting gives the rematch a clear question. Can the Chargers turn their yardage, rushing, and possession advantages into a different result, or can the Raiders again make the bigger plays while limiting turnovers? The official schedule confirms when to watch for that answer—December 13, 2026, at 4:05 p.m. ET on CBS—but the September box score cannot predict it.

The useful distinction is simple: September explains the 26–14 result; December will test whether that was a one-game execution edge or a repeatable matchup pattern.