How to Read Chargers vs Raiders Match Player Stats

los angeles chargers vs las vegas raiders match player stats Understanding football statistics can make an NFL game much easier to follow. A box score may look like a long list of numbers at first, but each figure tells part of the story. Passing yards can show how a quarterback moved the ball, rushing attempts can reveal how much responsibility a running back carried, while turnovers can explain why a team struggled even when its yardage looked competitive.

The Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders match player stats are a good example of why looking beyond the final score matters. In their September 20, 2026 regular-season meeting, the Raiders won 26-14 at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers actually finished with slightly more total yards, but the Raiders created more scoring opportunities and benefited from turnovers.

Knowing how to read those numbers helps fans understand what really happened during a game. Instead of focusing on one impressive statistic, it is better to examine passing, rushing, receiving, defense, special teams, and team statistics together.

BIO

Label	Information
Topic	Chargers vs Raiders Player Stats
Teams	Los Angeles Chargers and Las Vegas Raiders
League	NFL
Match Date	September 20, 2026
Final Score	Raiders 26, Chargers 14
Venue	SoFi Stadium
Raiders Quarterback	Kirk Cousins
Chargers Quarterback	Justin Herbert
Raiders Top Receiver	Tre Tucker
Chargers Top Rusher	Omarion Hampton
Key Raiders Stat	3 passing touchdowns
Key Chargers Stat	310 total yards
Main Focus	Understanding player and team statistics

Start With the Basic Game Stats

The easiest place to begin is the team section of the box score.

The final score tells you who scored more points, but it does not always explain how the game developed. In the September 20 matchup, Las Vegas scored 26 points while Los Angeles scored 14. The game was tied 14-14 during the third quarter before the Raiders pulled away in the fourth.

Total yards provide another useful starting point. The Chargers recorded 310 total yards, while the Raiders finished with 305. That is an important detail because it shows that the final score was not simply a result of one team gaining dramatically more yardage.

Other team statistics add more context. The Chargers ran 62 offensive plays compared with 60 for Las Vegas. Los Angeles also held the ball for more than 32 minutes, while the Raiders had possession for less than 28 minutes.

Yet the Raiders still won comfortably. This is where turnovers become important.

The Chargers committed three turnovers, while the Raiders committed one. Those extra possessions gave Las Vegas additional opportunities to score and helped explain why a relatively close yardage battle produced a 12-point difference on the scoreboard.

How to Read Quarterback Stats

Quarterback statistics usually receive the most attention, but there are several numbers to understand.

Completions and attempts show how many passes a quarterback completed compared with how many he threw. A quarterback completing 20 of 30 passes, for example, completed two-thirds of his attempts.

Completion percentage turns those numbers into an easier comparison. It can provide a quick idea of passing accuracy, although it should not be used by itself to judge a performance.

Passing yards measure the total distance gained through completed passes. More passing yards generally indicate greater passing production, but the number of attempts matters too.

Yards per attempt gives more context by showing how many yards a quarterback averaged for each pass attempt. A quarterback who throws for 250 yards on 30 attempts has produced differently from one who needs 45 attempts to reach the same total.

Touchdowns and interceptions are also critical.

A touchdown pass directly contributes to scoring, while an interception gives the opposing team possession. That is why a quarterback’s passing yardage should always be considered alongside touchdowns and turnovers.

In the Chargers-Raiders matchup, Kirk Cousins completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards and three touchdowns, while Justin Herbert completed 15 of 27 passes for 192 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

Those figures show why quarterback statistics need to be read as a group. Passing yards alone do not tell the whole story.

Understanding Rushing Stats

Rushing statistics are relatively straightforward once you know what each column means.

Attempts indicate how many times a player carried the football. This is often called carries.

Rushing yards show the total yardage gained on those attempts.

Yards per carry divides rushing yards by attempts and helps measure efficiency. For example, a running back with 80 yards on 20 carries averaged four yards per carry.

The longest run identifies the player’s biggest rushing play. It can be useful for identifying explosive plays, but it should not be confused with overall consistency.

Rushing touchdowns show how many times the player reached the end zone on the ground.

The workload is also important. A running back who receives 20 or more carries has a different role from one who receives only four or five attempts.

For Los Angeles, Omarion Hampton was an important part of the offense. He carried the ball 23 times for 94 yards, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt, and scored one rushing touchdown. He also caught two passes for 21 yards.

That is a good example of why both rushing and receiving numbers can matter when evaluating a running back’s contribution.

How to Read Receiving Stats

Receiving statistics help explain how quarterbacks distribute the football.

The main categories are targets, receptions, receiving yards, yards per reception, longest reception, and receiving touchdowns.

A target represents a pass thrown toward a receiver. A reception means the player actually caught the pass.

This distinction is important. A receiver may have many targets but relatively few receptions. That can happen because of incomplete passes, defensive coverage, or difficult throws.

Receiving yards measure the total yards gained after completed catches.

Yards per reception provides an average for each catch. A high average can indicate that a receiver was used on deeper routes, while a lower average may suggest shorter passes.

The longest reception shows the player’s biggest catch of the game. Again, it should be viewed in context rather than treated as a complete measure of performance.

Tre Tucker was particularly productive for Las Vegas against Los Angeles. He caught five passes for 119 yards and scored a touchdown, including a 40-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

Cody White also made an important contribution, catching touchdown passes of 13 and 11 yards from Cousins during the second half.

For the Chargers, Tre’ Harris recorded a 53-yard reception, while Ladd McConkey finished with three catches for 35 yards. McConkey’s official 2026 game log confirms his three-reception, 35-yard performance against Las Vegas.

Reading Defensive Player Stats

Offensive statistics are usually easier to understand, but defensive numbers are just as important.

Total tackles indicate how many tackles a defender recorded. These can be divided into solo tackles and assisted tackles.

Sacks show when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage during a passing play.

Tackles for loss measure tackles that stop a runner or receiver behind the line of scrimmage on plays that are not quarterback sacks.

Interceptions are passes caught by defenders. They can dramatically change possession and field position.

Pass defenses indicate plays where a defender successfully disrupts or prevents a completed pass.

Forced fumbles and fumble recoveries can also have a major impact.

When reading defensive stats, it is useful to remember that a player with fewer tackles may still have made an important contribution through coverage, pressure, or forcing a turnover.

In the Chargers-Raiders game, Las Vegas created multiple turnover-related moments, including interceptions of Herbert and a late defensive sequence that helped close out the victory. NFL’s postgame coverage specifically highlighted Hezekiah Masses’ second interception and Jeremy Chinn’s fumble recovery as important plays.

Special Teams Statistics

Special teams can easily be overlooked when reading a box score.

Field goals and extra points are the most familiar statistics. A kicker’s field-goal attempts and makes show how reliably the team converted scoring opportunities.

Punting statistics provide information about field position. A long punt does not necessarily mean a better outcome if the returner brings the ball back a significant distance.

Kick and punt return yards also matter because they can give an offense better starting field position.

The Raiders’ Matt Gay provided an important contribution against the Chargers. He made a 59-yard field goal late in the second quarter, giving Las Vegas a 10-7 halftime advantage.

The game also ended with a safety for Las Vegas, adding two points and making the final margin 26-14.

These plays show why special teams and unusual scoring plays should not be ignored when analyzing a box score.

A Real Example From Chargers vs Raiders

The best way to understand statistics is to connect them with what happened during the game.

The September 20, 2026 meeting started without either team scoring in the first quarter. The Raiders then opened the scoring in the second quarter when Cousins connected with Tre Tucker for a 40-yard touchdown.

Los Angeles answered with Hampton’s one-yard rushing touchdown. Las Vegas then regained the lead with Gay’s 59-yard field goal.

The Chargers took a 14-10 lead in the third quarter after Herbert found Oronde Gadsden for a 10-yard touchdown. The Raiders responded with two touchdown passes to White, one in the third quarter and another in the fourth.

The final fourth-quarter safety added two more points for Las Vegas.

Looking at the entire box score makes the result easier to understand. Los Angeles had more total yards, but the Raiders were more efficient in turning important possessions into points. The Chargers also committed more turnovers.

This is an important lesson when reading football statistics: the team with more yards does not automatically win the game.

How to Compare Two Players Fairly

Comparing players requires more than putting two numbers side by side.

First, compare players who have similar roles. Comparing a quarterback’s passing yards with a receiver’s receiving yards does not tell you much.

Second, look at workload. A running back with 20 carries should be evaluated differently from one with five carries.

Third, consider efficiency. Yards per carry, yards per reception, completion percentage, and yards per attempt can add useful context.

Fourth, examine scoring and turnovers. A quarterback with fewer passing yards may still have a stronger statistical contribution if he throws more touchdowns and fewer interceptions.

Finally, consider the game situation. A player may accumulate yards while his team is trailing and defenses are protecting against the pass. Another player may have fewer opportunities because his team built a lead early.

Statistics become more useful when they are connected to the circumstances in which they were produced.

Which Stats Matter Most?

There is no single statistic that explains an entire NFL game.

For quarterbacks, start with completions, attempts, passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and yards per attempt.

For running backs, look at carries, rushing yards, yards per carry, touchdowns, and long runs.

For wide receivers and tight ends, examine targets, receptions, receiving yards, yards per reception, and touchdowns.

For defenders, check tackles, sacks, interceptions, pass defenses, forced fumbles, and fumble recoveries.

At the team level, turnovers, total yards, third-down performance, red-zone efficiency, penalties, and time of possession can help explain the broader result.

The most useful approach is to combine several categories instead of relying on one headline number.

Common Mistakes When Reading NFL Stats

One common mistake is focusing only on the final score.

The scoreboard tells you the outcome, but not necessarily why it happened.

Another mistake is looking only at total yards. The Chargers gained 310 yards compared with 305 for the Raiders in this game, yet Las Vegas won 26-14. Turnovers and scoring efficiency provided important context.

It is also easy to overvalue one spectacular play. A 50-yard reception can make a receiver’s stat line look impressive, but the player’s complete involvement should also be considered.

Another mistake is ignoring opportunities. A receiver with three catches on four targets had a different workload from someone with three catches on ten targets.

Finally, fans sometimes compare statistics without considering the player’s position or role. Good statistical analysis requires context.

How Player Stats Help With Deeper Analysis

Once the basic numbers are understood, they can be used to identify larger patterns.

For example, quarterback statistics can reveal whether an offense relied heavily on short passes or attacked downfield.

Rushing numbers can show whether a team consistently used its ground game or abandoned it while chasing points.

Receiving statistics can reveal which players were central to the passing attack.

Defensive statistics can highlight pressure and turnover production.

Team statistics then connect all of those individual performances.

The Chargers-Raiders game demonstrates this clearly. Los Angeles moved the ball effectively enough to finish with slightly more total yardage, but three turnovers limited the value of that production. Las Vegas, meanwhile, turned key possessions into touchdowns and finished the game with a 12-point victory.

That is why the best analysis does not simply ask, “Who had the most yards?” It asks how those yards, plays, opportunities, and turnovers affected the game.

Final Takeaway

Learning to read Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders match player stats does not require an advanced knowledge of football. Start with the final score, then move through team statistics, quarterback numbers, rushing production, receiving performance, defensive contributions, and special teams.

The September 20, 2026 matchup is a useful example because the basic yardage totals were relatively close, while turnovers, passing touchdowns, and late-game plays helped produce a 26-14 Raiders victory.

The key is to look at the numbers together. Passing yards tell only part of the story. Rushing attempts need efficiency. Receiving yards need targets. Tackles need defensive context. And team yardage needs to be considered alongside turnovers and scoring.

Once these relationships become familiar, an NFL box score stops looking like a collection of random numbers. It becomes a concise record of how the game unfolded and which statistical details shaped the final result.

FAQs

What are Los Angeles Chargers vs Las Vegas Raiders match player stats?

They are the individual and team numbers recorded during a Chargers vs Raiders game, including passing, rushing, receiving, defensive, and special teams statistics.

Which quarterback stats should I check first?

Start with completions, attempts, passing yards, touchdowns, interceptions, and yards per attempt. Together, these numbers provide better context than any single statistic.

How do I compare two running backs?

Look at carries, rushing yards, yards per carry, touchdowns, and longest runs. Also consider how many opportunities each player received.

What do receiving targets mean?

A target is a pass thrown toward a receiver. Comparing targets with receptions can help show how frequently a player was involved in the passing game.

Why are turnovers important in NFL stats?

Turnovers give the opposing team an extra possession and can quickly change field position and scoring opportunities, making them an important part of game analysis.