It'll take a couple more days to determine if quarterback Justin Herbert can indeed suit up for a crucial Monday night tilt against the visiting Eagles.
Herbert is officially questionable to play following a week of limited participation in practice, during which head coach Jim Harbaugh repeatedly echoed the team's confidence that Herbert will be healthy enough to go just one week after undergoing surgery on his fractured left hand and eight days after sustaining the injury in a win over the Raiders.
That remains to be seen. If Herbert sits, Trey Lance would be in line for his first start as a Charger at a potential inflection point of the season.
The Chargers are currently in playoff position at 8-4, but they're dealing with a crowded AFC postseason picture that includes the Jaguars (8-4), Colts (8-4), Bills (8-4), Texans (7-5), Ravens (6-6), Steelers (6-6) and Chiefs (6-6) either matching their win total or hovering just a few games behind.
Herbert has led Los Angeles to the No. 5 seed thus far, throwing for 2,842 yards with a 66.9 completion percentage, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He's also given defenses trouble on the ground, having scored once and already amassed a career-high 353 rushing, though he might be less prone to take off if he ends up facing Philadelphia given the injury.
Lance, meanwhile, has gone from the 49ers' presumed QB of the future when drafted by them in the 2021 first round to castoff with the Cowboys in 2024 before catching on with L.A. ahead of this season and beating out Taylor Heinicke for the QB2 role behind Herbert.
He has a 2-3 career record with 1,153 passing yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. He's thrown for 90 yards on 7-of-13 passing across three brief appearances in relief of Herbert in 2025.
Even if Herbert does play, it'll be interesting to see if there are any packages -- especially on the goal line -- that call for Lance to enter the game temporarily. Herbert operated exclusively out of pistol and shotgun following his injury last week and will likely continue to do so.
Either to help Lance ease in should he be called on to start or limit chances for Herbert to take big hits, the Chargers might also employ a run-heavy approach against the Eagles, who are coming off a loss to the Bears in which they were gashed for 281 rushing yards.
Such a game plan would fall on the shoulders of Kimani Vidal and Omarion Hampton, who's questionable to return from an ankle injury for the first time since Week 5 but seemingly trending the right direction with two straight practices.
However the Chargers find a way to exploit the Eagles, it will be vitally important; Week 14 begins a stretch of five straight games against teams .500 or better to conclude the regular season.
Los Angeles kicks off against Philadelphia at 8:15 p.m. ET on Monday.
