VSiN Primetime | August 20, 2026 | Hour 3

**Matt Youmans** (0:04)
Live from the Circus Sportsbook in downtown Las Vegas on VSiN, the SportsBetting Network.

**Tim Murray** (0:12)
Houston Texans had the ball at midfield 17-3. Texans with the lead over the Las Vegas Raiders, and Fernando Mendoza leading the Raiders on a scoring drive last time down, three of six so far, 36 yards, and a pick six from Fernando Mendoza. Matt, this isn't the only preseason game on the card here tonight. There are two games this evening as we're watching Houston and Las Vegas. Still to come, Chargers and 49ers, and that's where we head right now, courtesy of our Progressive Guest Line. Welcome in Fernando Ramirez, who is at SoFi Stadium here tonight. He is the Chargers reporter for the Sporting Tribune. Let's start with the Chargers, Fernando. What is our expectation of starters here tonight, as the Chargers are slight favorites against the 49ers?

**Fernando Ramirez** (1:04)
Well, thank you guys so much for having me on. It's going to be some night night tea while we're here at the stadium, with it being a 7 p.m. kickoff, but yeah, just, Jim Harbaugh said it's going to be one series for the offense, one series for the defense, and then they're going to call it a night. So that's essentially what we're going to see tonight from them. So it'll be interesting to see what kind of, how much they show offensively.
I still expect it to be a little vanilla, like they're just going to kind of show you a little bit, then get them out of there, and let's call it a night. So that's what Jim said about both the defense and the offense. So it'll be interesting to see what they kind of look like when they come out here.

**Matt Youmans** (1:45)
So Fernando, it's going to be one series of Justin Herbert tonight, and that's it? Is that what you expect?

**Fernando Ramirez** (1:52)
That's what Jim said to us. And then next week against the Rams, he said two to three, but leaning more towards two series against the Rams next Thursday.

**Matt Youmans** (2:02)
All right, so last week in that 27-7 win in Houston, I thought the Chargers looked pretty good on both sides of the ball. And the backup quarterbacks are fighting a battle here for number two, Trey Lance, DJ Uyen Gale. Those guys look pretty sharp. What did you make of the quarterback play last week?

**Fernando Ramirez** (2:19)
I mean, yes and no, I, Trey Lance, you just see him making some of the same mistakes he made last year during training camp. This obviously, this often fits him a little bit more just because you're moving around.
You're not really stuck at the right as soon as the ball snapped. He can move around and do some things, but yeah, it seems like a pretty tight battle, I think they're going to end up going with Trey no matter what, just because Trey is a veteran in the league and he's already been here and everything. But I thought the interception that he threw just looked like a typical kind of Trey Lance pick where he's doing some good things and then all of a sudden, he reverts back to the mistakes that have kind of cost him jobs and stuff in the past. So there's some good and there's some bad from Trey. Also during practice, during practice, he struggled at times as well like that. But no, I'm sure Trey Lance is their pick for number two. But yeah, that's kind of what I saw from the quarterback battle last week and kind of this week during the scrimmage against the 49ers.

**Matt Youmans** (3:23)
I'd agree with you on that. Good and bad from Trey Lance. My expectations weren't that high and I thought he played okay. 12 for 20, 164 yards. Did throw a pick, took two sacks, ran the ball three times for 27 yards. Did they want to get more of a look at him tonight?
Will they play Trey Lance more extensively tonight or what do you think the plan is going to be for the backups after Herbert leaves the game?

**Fernando Ramirez** (3:47)
I think they'll do a half and then a little bit of the third quarter with Trey like last week and then they'll let DJ go out there. DJ's made some good plays during camp. I've actually been surprised at his long ball.
There's times where he's kind of let it rip down the field and he makes some good plays down the field. Obviously, I just don't think it's enough to, to gain the second quarterback spot. But I think, I think DJ shown a little bit of growth and maturity in his game from last year to this year. I mean, you've kind of seen that, that growth that you kind of hope from a, from a player of a, that obviously played at Florida state and, and obviously had a lot of accolades in college, but, but he's made some positive steps. But I think, again, it's going to be Trey Lance for most of the night tonight.