In a classic battle between two of the top quarterbacks in the NFL, the Los Angeles Chargers prevailed over the Cincinnati Bengals, 34-27, to extend their winning streak to four games and improve their record to 7-3 for the season. The Sunday Night game was played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, with a crowd of 70,240 fans in attendance last Sunday.
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was ecstatic after the game. "Great win! Great team win. It was awesome. It says a lot. It was like two heavyweights going at it. They're a great football team. Our guys just kept playing. I've just been having this feeling, really since the beginning back in April, May and June, that we've got the right guys at the right time and that's all a coach can ask for. Just keep building."
The resilience that Harbaugh is talking about came late in the game, at a time that has not always been good to Chargers teams in the past. The Chargers stormed to a 27-6 lead early in the third quarter behind the red-hot quarterbacking of Justin Herbert.
Herbert threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to tight end Will Dissly in the first quarter and a 26-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston in the second quarter. Herbert also had 58 yards rushing on 4 carries in the first half. The Chargers led at halftime, 24-6.
Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow came into the game leading the NFL in passing yards, with 24 touchdown passes and just four interceptions. In the first half, the Chargers defense held Burrow to six points, 111 passing yards and sacked Burrow three times. The Chargers were in total control at the half.
An early field third quarter field goal gave the Chargers a 27-6 lead. Then Burrow got hot, and the former Heisman Trophy winner threw three touchdown passes in a span of less than nine game minutes to tie the game at 27-27 with 12:21 remaining in the game. Burrow had led his team to 21 points in less than nine minutes against the No. 1 scoring defense in the NFL.
At the same time, Herbert went cold, completing just 7 of 22 pass attempts in the second half, while also losing a fumble after a seven-yard scramble to the Bengals 24-yard line. The Bengals had a pair of opportunities to take the lead in the fourth quarter, but Bengals kicker Evan McPherson was wide left on a 48-yard attempt with 7:35 remaining in the game and was wide left again on a second attempt of 51 yards with 1:52 remaining.
The Chargers and Bengals exchanged offensive possessions and with 45 seconds remaining, the Chargers had a first-and-ten from their own 16-yard line. Herbert connected with rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey on a 28-yard-deep ball to get the Chargers to their own 44-yard line. Two plays later, Herbert again connected on a deep ball downfield with McConkey, this time for 27 yards.
The Chargers had a first down on the Bengals 29-yard line with 26 seconds remaining. On the first play J.K. Dobbins took the handoff from Herbert and ran to the left, where he got a nice kickout block from guard Trey Pipkins, blocks from tight end Tucker Fisk and fullback Scott Matlock and a good downfield block from Dissly, opening up a huge hole for Dobbins, who scampered 29 yards for the lead and the winning touchdown.
The victory improved the Chargers record to 7-3 and they are in a very good position for a playoff berth. ESPN gives the Chargers a 95% chance of making the playoffs. The Chargers are currently in the fifth playoff slot, which would match them up with the fourth best division winner. If the season ended today, that would be the Houston Texans.
The loss dropped the Bengals to 4-7 on the season. The Bengals may be the best 4-7 team in NFL history. They are 1-6 in games decided by seven points or less. Burrow leads the NFL in passing yardage with 3,028 and in touchdown passes with 27. Burrow became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for at least 300 yards with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions in back-to-back games, and lose both games in regulation.
Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase leads the NFL in receptions with 73, receiving yards with 1,056, and in touchdown receptions with 12. Defensive end Trey Hendrickson leads the NFL in sacks with 11.5. The Bengals are too talented to be 4-7.
This week's matchup with the Baltimore Ravens (7-4) features running back Derrick Henry, who leads the NFL in rushing yardage with 1,185 yards. Two-time MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson has the offense humming, with an NFL leading 430.1 yards per game and an average of 30.4 points per game, second to only the Detroit Lions. The Ravens offense will be a significant challenge for the Chargers top ranked scoring defense.
The game will match Ravens head coach John Harbaugh against his younger brother, Jim Harbaugh. But beyond that, this is a huge game for both the Ravens and the Chargers. The Ravens need a win to keep their hopes alive of winning the AFC North division. The Chargers can solidify that playoff berth and gain a head-to-head advantage in case of a tie with the Ravens for a playoff slot.
The game will be played on Monday Night, November 25 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood and will start at 5:15 pm. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN.
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