The Chargers are trying to hold onto a 27-21 lead in the fourth quarter against the Seahawks, but they’ve just seen their starting running back leave on a cart.
Ryan Mathews stayed on the ground after recovering a loose ball after a botched handoff with quarterback Philip Rivers. It was the second time that Mathews was able to recover a ball that wound up on the ground, but it appears his luck may have run out at the bottom of the most recent pile.
The Chargers have continued to hold the ball for long stretches, running their time of possession north of 35 minutes early in the fourth, but the Seahawks have made good use of their opportunities and are getting the ball back with 10:16 left to play. That’s plenty of time for Russell Wilson to put them back in front and he’s 13-of-17 for 176 yards and two touchdowns thus far.
If the Chargers defense can’t stop them, the offense will probably have to rely on Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown to grab the lead back in the final minutes.
UPDATE 6:45 p.m. ET: Mathews has a knee injury and is questionable to return.