Good teams find ways to win tough football games. On the road, across the country, and coming off a hear-breaking loss, the Los Angeles Chargers battled until the end with the Atlanta Falcons to squeak out a 17–13 victory.
The Chargers can win without Justin Herbert playing like a superhero
Chargers superstar quarterback Justin Herbert had been on an absolute tear in recent weeks but struggled to put up big numbers against the Falcons. Atlanta does have a solid pass defense headlined by All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III, which limited Herbert’s ability to push the ball downfield. He finished the game with only 147 passing yards — the sixth-lowest single-game total of his career. But despite his tame performance, the Chargers still managed to earn the win.
The defense got back to playing at an elite level
Through their first nine games of the season, the Chargers’ defense was a dominant, suffocating force, holding all of their opponents to 20 points or less. But in their last two matchups, Los Angeles surrendered a combined 57 points. They narrowly earned a 34–27 win over the Bengals in Week 11, then lost to the Baltimore Ravens 30–23 in Week 12. The defense got back in shape in Week 13, though, holding the Falcons to only 13 points and forcing four turnovers in the win.
Ladd McConkey is the real deal
Despite the Chargers’ lack of success in the passing game, rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey still managed to turn in another spectacular performance. He totaled nine receptions for 117 yards — his third 100-yard receiving game of the season. McConkey’s 117 receiving yards are even more impressive when considering the entire team combined for only 150 receiving yards in the contest. McConkey was Herbert’s only consistent playmaker.
Derwin James came up big when he was needed the most
Among the standout performers on the defensive side of the ball was veteran safety Derwin James Jr. The 28-year-old former first-team All-Pro has heard some criticism this season for playing at a level beneath his standard of excellence. But he won’t hear those criticisms after this week’s performance. James totaled 10 tackles, two tackles for loss, and snagged the game-sealing interception.
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The Chargers uncovered a gem in their rookie draft class
James wasn’t the only standout in the secondary — nor even the one that shined the brightest. That was fourth-round rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still who is proving to be an absolute gem uncovered by general manager Joe Hortiz.
Still snagged two interceptions against the Falcons, including a 61-yard pick-six that served as the Bolts’ only touchdown on the day. The 22-year-old cornerback has established himself as a starter in Los Angeles’ secondary and had his breakout performance against the Falcons in Week 13.
Looking ahead to the Chargers’ next matchup with the Chiefs
The Chargers will be back on the road and back on primetime in Week 14 as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs. This will be the Bolts’ third primetime game in their last four matchups and their second matchup with Kansas City this season. The Chiefs are atop the NFL with an 11-1 record and got the better of the Bolts in the Week 4 contest between the two teams. But the Chargers were a different team back then and could feel good about their underdog chances entering this matchup.
