The Chargers triumphantly dispatched the AFC West.
The NFC East? That’s a special story.
The Washington Commanders barged into SoFi Stadium on Sunday and handed the Chargers their second consecutive defeat — a 27-10 spirit crusher — approaching the heels of an upset of coach Jim Harbaugh’s workforce by the winless New York Giants every week earlier than.
The guests iced the win with a 13-play, 99-yard drive that ended with an eight-yard, blitz-beating landing cross from Jayden Daniels to Deebo Samuel. That had hundreds of blue-clad followers streaming for the exits.
The sport had been determined earlier than that. A pivotal play got here with 7 minutes, 40 seconds remaining and the Chargers seeking to minimize into Washington’s 10-point lead.
On third-and-goal from the 4, Justin Herbert dropped again and fired a cross for the sure-handed Keenan Allen. The ball was tipped by Jer’Zhan Newton and intercepted on the objective line by cornerback Mike Sainristil. Menace neutralized.
That blunted a drive that began with a masterful defensive play, a deal with by Chargers defensive deal with Teair Tart, who pried the ball free from Washington operating again Jacory Croskey-Merritt — who was having an amazing recreation — then recovered the fumble.
The play hinted at a dramatic comeback by the lurching Chargers (3-2), a workforce nonetheless seeking to discover its groove. Very similar to their season to date, the Chargers began robust then light.
They jumped out to a 10-0 lead in opposition to the Commanders earlier than surrendering 27 unanswered factors with the sport torturously slipping away from the Chargers within the second half.
Their kryptonite was rookie Croskey-Merritt, who tore off some positive aspects longer than his final identify. The seventh-round choose from Arizona completed with a mixed 150 yards in 14 carries and two catches.
He had landing runs of 15 and 5 yards across the left facet that befuddled a Chargers protection that had performed so nicely thus far. This was a Commanders offense lacking star receiver Terry McLaurin, and with Daniels ostensibly restricted by a sprained knee and hulking brace.
Daniels did some scrambling, nonetheless, and cellular quarterbacks traditionally have given this protection issues. The onetime star from Cajon Excessive in San Bernardino threw for 231 yards and ran for 39.
Heading into the sport, the first concern of the Chargers offense was defending Herbert, who was pressured on 46 drop backs within the first 4 video games, greater than any quarterback within the NFL, in response to TruMedia. He was dealing with a protection Sunday that features future Corridor of Famers Von Miller and Bobby Wagner.
Herbert creates issues for defenses together with his arm and legs. On the third play from scrimmage, he broke free on a run up the center and picked up 41 yards.
The opening drive appeared to finish with a 29-yard discipline objective by Cameron Dicker, however the Chargers acquired new life with an offsides name on Washington. That afforded the Chargers a first-and-goal on the six, and two performs later, Herbert discovered Ladd McConkey with a two-yard cross for a landing.
Allen caught 5 passes, changing into the sixteenth receiver in NFL historical past to build up 1,000 profession receptions. He got here into Sunday’s recreation needing two catches to hit that milestone, and he did that in fewer video games than anybody (159), in contrast with the prior record-holder Marvin Harrison (167).
Herbert is taking part in behind a patchwork offensive line, because the workforce misplaced left deal with Rashawn Slater in coaching camp — 10 days after making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in historical past — then misplaced substitute Joe Alt to a high-ankle sprain within the first quarter of a Week 4 loss on the Giants.
Proper guard Mekhi Becton returned from a concussion that sidelined him for the Giants recreation, however Sunday sustained a hand harm. What’s extra, proper deal with Trey Pipkins III hobbled off the sphere within the second quarter with a banged-up knee. It was a real MASH unit.
This has been a curler coaster season for the Chargers, a microcosm of which occurred on the finish of the primary half.
The Commanders had been punting from their very own finish zone and put the ball within the fingers of Chargers returner McConkey, who weaved his technique to the top zone for an obvious landing.
That jubilation didn’t final lengthy for the Chargers, as they had been flagged for roughing the punter, giving the guests a primary down. No sooner did the protection get again onto the sphere than Daniels linked on a 50-yard heave to Luke McCaffrey, youthful brother of San Francisco 49ers star Christian McCaffrey.
Two performs later, Samuel picked up 22 yards on a reception for Washington (3-2), organising a discipline objective that solid a 10-10 tie the groups took into halftime.
The Commanders carried that momentum into the third quarter when, with a mixture of receptions and runs by Croskey-Merritt, they labored their method downfield for the go-ahead landing.
