Inglewood, California – On Sunday, Justin Herbert showcased his skills by throwing for one touchdown and rushing for another, leading the Los Angeles Chargers to a 27-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans. This win marks the Chargers’ third consecutive triumph and improves their record to 6-3, having claimed four victories in their last five outings. Remarkably, the Chargers have become only the fourth team since 1990 and the first team since the 2013 Kansas City Chiefs to keep their opponents under 20 points in each of their first nine games.
Despite coming into the game with the top-ranked defense in the NFL, both overall and against the pass, the Titans (2-7) managed to force the Chargers to go three-and-out just twice out of nine possessions. Calvin Ridley was a standout player for Tennessee, scoring both of the team’s touchdowns and recording five receptions for 84 yards. Quarterback Will Levis, returning after missing three games due to a shoulder injury, completed 18 of 23 passes for 175 yards but was subjected to seven sacks throughout the match.
Herbert had an efficient outing, completing 14 of 18 passes for 164 yards and adding 32 rushing yards. He gave Los Angeles a 13-7 advantage late in the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-1 play. As the first half was nearing its conclusion, the Titans appeared to tie the game at 13 when Roger McCreary returned a fumble by Herbert for a touchdown. However, a replay review determined that Herbert’s arm was moving forward, leading to the call being overturned to an incomplete pass, much to the frustration of Titans coach Brian Callahan.
The second half saw the Chargers seize control of the game. Herbert extended the lead to 20-10 with a 16-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston just before the end of the third quarter. Hassan Haskins, a player with previous experience in Tennessee, further widened the gap with a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Chargers ahead by 17 points.
In the opening series, the Chargers secured a 21-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker. The Titans quickly responded with Levis finding Ridley for a 41-yard touchdown. Levis executed a deft fake handoff, providing him ample time to locate Ridley, who made a clean catch at the 6-yard line, expanding his season tally for touchdowns to two with that play. This marked the first occasion this season that the Chargers allowed points on an opponent’s opening drive. Ridley added his second touchdown in the fourth quarter with a 15-yard catch in the left corner of the end zone.
During the second quarter, Tennessee moved down to the Chargers’ 19-yard line with a 7-6 lead and was poised to add to their score. However, a series of penalties, including a facemask and false start, forced them back, resulting in kicker Nick Folk missing a 49-yard attempt. This miss ended his impressive streak of 20 consecutive successful field goals dating back to the previous season.
In terms of injuries, the Titans were without cornerback L’Jarius Sneed due to a quadriceps issue, marking his fourth consecutive game missed. The Chargers saw offensive lineman Trey Pipkins III out due to an ankle injury, while Jamaree Salyer filled in at right guard. Cornerback Kristian Fulton was also sidelined for the second consecutive week due to injury.
Looking ahead, the Titans are set to host the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday, while the Chargers will welcome the Cincinnati Bengals for a Sunday night matchup.