The Los Angeles Chargers made a statement today with a 27–10 win on the road over the Cleveland Browns. Now 5-3, the Bolts have won three of their last four games as they continue to ascend in the power rankings.
Justin Herbert and the offense are hitting their stride
Justin Herbert has started turning on the heat in recent weeks and exploded with another excellent performance against the Browns. He went 18-for-27 passing for 282 yards and two touchdowns with zero interceptions. This is his third straight game with at least 275 passing yards and zero interceptions. He now has an elite 10-1 TD-INT ratio on the season.
If Herbert can continue to play at such a high level, the sky is the limit for the Chargers. He benefitted from a potent Bolts rushing attack today, too. Los Angeles gained 96 yards on the ground today with J.K. Dobbins leading the way with 85 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Being able to beat opponents on both the ground and through the air is a formula for winning football in L.A.
The Chargers’ offensive line didn’t have any answers for the Browns’ pass rush
It was a long day for Rashawn Slater and company. The Chargers’ offensive line struggled all afternoon, surrendering six sacks to the Browns. Cleveland Browns superstar edge rusher Myles Garrett had three sacks, all coming in the first half.
Jameis Winston was shut down by Los Angeles’ defense
It was a dominant outing for the Bolts’ defense on the road in Cleveland. They forced three turnovers in the contest, picking off Browns QB Jameis Winston three times. The Browns were held to only 292 total yards of offense despite dominating the time of possession with 34:09.
Winston finished 26-of-46 passing for 235 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. The Chargers sacked Winston six times in the contest. Elijah Molden, Tarheeb Still, and Alohi Gilman snagged one interception each. Tuli Tuipulotu led the way with 2.5 sacks.
The Chargers have a pair of exciting young wide receivers
Propelling the Chargers’ offensive success is their electric wide receiver duo. Former first-round pick Quentin Johnston is having his breakout season and turned in one of the best games of his young career on Sunday. Johnston hauled in four receptions for 118 receiving yards and one 66-yard touchdown grab. Rookie Ladd McConkey also had another great performance, catching five receptions for 65 receiving yards.
Flying under the radar as well is 25-year-old Joshua Palmer. He had two receptions for 63 yards and one touchdown against the Browns and has developed into a quality contributor this season.
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Los Angeles is back in the playoff race
It was a shaky start to the season for the Bolts, but now, at 5-3 halfway through the campaign, they are back in the playoff race. The Kansas City Chiefs, of course, still lead the AFC West at 7-0. However, the Chargers have moved into second place, overtaking the 5-4 Denver Broncos. According to NFL.com, the Chargers currently own the sixth seed in the AFC.
Looking ahead to the Chargers’ next game vs the Tennessee Titans
Next week, the Chargers will be back at home to host the 2-6 Tennessee Titans. The Titans picked up a thrilling overtime win over the New England Patriots in Week 9. The Chargers will be favored in this one, however, they need to keep an eye on the Titans’ pass rush led by Harold Landry. The Titans had four sacks against the Patriots.
