Tag: Chargers vs. Bengals

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 11 win over Bengals

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ highest and lowest-graded Chargers players from the win over the Bengals.

In Week 11, the Chargers defeated the Bengals, 34-27.

En route to victory, there were some standout performers and others who did not contribute as much.

That said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Top 5 Offense

WR Ladd McConkey — 85.7

OT Joe Alt — 84.1

OL Trey Pipkins — 81.3

OT Rashawn Slater — 79.1

OL Zion Johnson — 77.4

Top 5 Defense

S Alohi Gilman — 83.3

LB Denzel Perryman — 75.1

CB Cam Hart — 74.3

S Derwin James — 72.8

DT Poona Ford — 69.2

Bottom 5 Offense

WR Joshua Palmer — 64.0

RB Gus Edwards — 63.5

WR Quentin Johnston — 61.3

FB Scott Matlock — 53.9

WR Jalen Reagor — 52.2

Bottom 5 Defense

LB Daiyan Henley — 55.5

EDGE Bud Dupree — 54.2

S Elijah Molden — 50.2

DT Otito Ogbonnia — 47.5

CB Ja’Sir Taylor — 38.9

Chargers highlight: Justin Herbert catches fire for second TD of the game

Justin Herbert is throwing lasers on Sunday Night Football.

Justin Herbert is throwing lasers on Sunday Night Football.

After a Bengals field goal cut the Chargers lead to 1, Herbert decided to take matters into his own hands. A hole shot over the outstretched hands of a Bengals corner hit Quentin Johnston for 22 yards down the left sideline. A seam throw to tight end Will Dissly got the Chargers another 20 yards on the following play.

After a 3 yard JK Dobbins run, Herbert once again took the ball into his own hands. He rolled right, scrambling forward before delivering a strike across the field to Johnston, who hauled in the catch for a 26 yard touchdown to extend the lead to 14-6 early in the second quarter.

It’s Johnston’s sixth touchdown of the season in just eight games, as the second-year receiver has emerged as one of Los Angeles’ top weapons. The Chargers’ other main threat, rookie receiver Ladd McConkey, went to the locker room with a shoulder injury prior to the touchdown drive.

Herbert has now thrown 13 touchdowns to just 1 interception this season.

https://x.com/chargers/status/1858333029028274545

3 bold predictions for Chargers in Week 11 vs. Bengals

Sunday Night Football will be in Los Angeles for the Chargers-Bengals in Week 11, a huge matchup for AFC playoff implications.

We’ve got a huge matchup in Los Angeles that will have major implications on the AFC playoff picture. The Chargers are coming off three consecutive victories, and at this point, Jim Harbaugh’s unit seems destined for the postseason.

On the flip side, the Bengals fell to 4-6 last week and have hung on for dear life in the playoff picture. Here are some bold predictions for this week’s contest.

Quarterbacks combine for 550+ passing yards

The quarterbacks in this matchup, Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert, have been playing unbelievable football recently. Each of them is undoubtedly a top-10 quarterback in the NFL. Herbert has looked fully healthy since the team’s bye week and has been the main reason for their recent winning streak. Burrow is playing at an MVP level, as he’s the league leader in passing yards and tied for the most touchdown passes.

Joshua Palmer hauls in catch of 40+ yards

The Bengals’ pass defense is exceptionally vulnerable, allowing the 10th-most yards through the air in 2024. In particular, the Chargers offense should be able to target Cam Taylor-Britt on the outside. The Bengals cornerback has allowed 37 receptions this season, the 11th-most in the league. A guy like Palmer should be able to take advantage of this and connect on a deep ball with Herbert. Palmer has just one touchdown the season but has six straight games with a catch of at least 24 yards.

Gus Edwards scores first TD as Charger

After 13 rushing touchdowns in 2023, Edwards has still yet to find the endzone as a Charger in 2024. There may not be a better opportunity than this weekend, as the Bengals have allowed 13 rushing TDs this season. That’s tied for fifth most in the NFL, and Edwards reclaimed the backup running back role last weekend.

Key things to know about Chargers’ Week 11 opponent: Bengals

Here are some important things to know about the Bengals ahead of the Week 11 matchup with the Chargers.

The Chargers are at home to face the Bengals in primetime on Sunday, Nov. 17, at 5:20 p.m. PT.

To get you prepped for the Week 11 bout, here are five key things to know about Los Angeles’ opponent ahead of the matchup.

How things are going…

The Bengals are 4-6 on the season. Cincinnati has one-point losses to the Chiefs and Ravens.

Prolific passing attack

Jesse Minter will have his work cut out against Joe Burrow and company. The Bengals rank fourth in passing offense, averaging 254.8 yards per game. Burrow leads in the NFL with 2,672 yards and 24 touchdowns. He’s only thrown four interceptions.

Brace for Chase

Burrow’s top target, Ja’Marr Chase, has been a terror to opposing defenses. Chase leads the league in receptions (66), receiving yards (981) and touchdowns (10).

Rough rushing offense

The Bengals have had success through the air, but the same can’t be said about their ground game. Cincinnati is 29th in rushing yards per game (89.7). Chase Brown is the team’s lead back. They acquired Khalil Herbert last week from the Bears after Zack Moss sustained a season-ending neck injury.

Dreadful defense

The Bengals have been able to score points, but they’ve struggled to prevent them, as they’ve allowed 26.2 PPG (26th). Cincinnati ranks 23rd and 17th in pass and rush defense, respectively. However, their issues have been in critical situations. The team ranks 31st in red zone percentage (71.88%) and 29th in third-down conversion percentage (45.80%).

Look out for…

Chase. This will be the biggest test for the Chargers’ cornerbacks this season. He’s capable of taking over a game with his big-play ability.

Stars, studs and duds in Chargers’ 41-22 victory over Bengals

Highlighting the Chargers players who shined and struggled in the victory over the Bengals.

The Chargers took care of business last Sunday, defeating the Bengals by the score of 41-22.

With that being said, here is a look at the players who helped en route to Los Angeles’ victory and some others who had a rough day.

Star: QB Justin Herbert

Herbert and Joe Burrow faced off for the first time in their professional careers, and the matchup was nothing short of entertaining. But it was Herbert who reigned supreme. His performance consisted of 316 passing yards and three touchdowns. He aired it out, something everyone has wanted to see – finishing with a 10.2-yard average depth of target — his highest average this season, per Pro Football Focus. But his eye-popping showcasing didn’t end there. In a two-point conversion trick play, Herbert caught a pass from Keenan Allen. He also made a touchdown-saving tackle after throwing an interception. Along the way, he became the fastest quarterback in NFL history to reach 700 completions.

Stud: WRs Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Jalen Guyton

The trio of receivers combined for 14 receptions, 234 receiving yards, and three touchdowns. Herbert spread the wealth, and Guyton’s first touchdown of the season was a direct outcome of this. The scoring play came from a beautiful 44-yard catch from Guyton, which Jessie Bates contested. Allen also had quite the performance with two touchdowns in the red zone. Although Williams didn’t score, his production on the field with a few deep catches helped the Chargers get to the end zone. The big-bodied receiver averaged 22 yards per catch.

Stud: The defense

The defensive dominance consisted of 27 pressures on Burrow and holding Mixon to 2.8 yards per carry on 19 attempts, which was all done with injured Joey Bosa and Justin Jones. The Chargers forced four turnovers, one more turnover than they’ve collected in the last five games.  After recovering a fumble by Joe Mixon, the scoop-and-score 61-yard touchdown from Tevaughn Campbell was the momentum switch. The unit also had interceptions from Chris Harris Jr. and Michael Davis and a strip-sack and fumble recovery from Uchenna Nwosu.

Dud: Running backs

The run game was extremely limited against the Bengals because they played with loaded boxes. Therefore, it was another week of no one stepping up and establishing themselves as the backup to Austin Ekeler. Although Ekeler scored a rushing touchdown, he fumbled the ball twice. Ball security was a problem for him against Cincinnati, and dropped passes had been a reoccurring issue coming into the game.

Dud: CB Tevaughn Campbell

While he was responsible for the scoop-and-score, Campbell’s struggles in coverage continued while handling the starting role in place of Asante Samuel Jr. He was targeted eight times and allowed six catches for 78 yards, per Pro Football Focus.

Chargers provide injury updates on Joey Bosa, Justin Jones, Asante Samuel Jr.

At Monday’s media availability, Brandon Staley addressed the status of a few injured players.

The Chargers suffered injuries to Joey Bosa and Justin Jones during the Week 13 win over the Bengals.

On the Monday after the win, Brandon Staley provided some further detail, and it was all positive.

Staley said Bosa is day-to-day, but he anticipates that he will practice Wednesday.

After being evaluated for a concussion, he was cleared to return to the game yesterday, but Staley decided to play it safe and kept him sidelined.

As for Jones, he has both a knee and an ankle injury and will be limited in practice this week.

There were a few key players that did not play altogether, which were Linval Joseph and Asante Samuel Jr.

After missing the last two games due to a shoulder injury and being placed on the COVID-19 list, it’s expected that Joseph should be at practice on Wednesday.

Samuel remains in the league’s concussion protocol, but Staley said he is approaching the end of it.

7 numbers that tell tale of Chargers’ victory over Bengals

Here are seven stats that sum up what happened at Paul Brown Stadium in the Chargers’ win over the Bengals.

On Sunday, the Chargers took care of business against a red-hot Bengals team on the road.

With that being said, here are seven numbers that tell the story of Los Angeles’ 41-22 victory over Cincinnati.

4

Teams that win the turnover battle are likely to come out victorious, which the Chargers did, finishing with four. Los Angeles had two interceptions and two forced fumbles, one of which was the most crucial. The Bengals had an opportunity for a go-ahead score, down just two points after trailing by 24. Instead, Joe Mixon fumbled, Tevaughn Campbell recovered and returned it for a 61-yard touchdown to break Cincinnati’s momentum.

27

Despite losing Joey Bosa early on and Justin Jones soon after, the Chargers had arguably their best performance in the trenches this season. Los Angeles constantly had Joe Burrow under duress, pressuring him 27 times. Brandon Staley perfectly designed twists/stunts, pressure/blitz packages, schemed 1-on-1s, and the players executed. It was a collaborative effort, but Uchenna Nwosu led the pack with seven pressures.

2.8

Not only did the Chargers’ defensive line contribute at getting after Burrow, but it also stepped up in a big way at slowing down Mixon. Clogging and slipping through gaps, Mixon had nowhere to go throughout the afternoon. He was held to 54 yards on 19 carries (2.8 yards per carry), all without Jones and Linval Joseph.

10.2

The common narrative had been that Joe Lombardi’s play-calling was holding Justin Herbert back. In reality, it was a combination of various factors, but one of them was that defenses were properly game-planning for Herbert and limiting his options down the field. On Sunday, Herbert finally unleashed his cannon of an arm. His receivers’ had a height advantage on the Bengals’ defensive backs, which led to him uncorking deep balls to Mike Williams and one to Jalen Guyton for a touchdown. He finished with a 10.2-yard average depth of target — his highest average this season, per Pro Football Focus.

17.3, 5, 33

The Chargers’ special teams had been leaving a lot to be desired this season. However, the unit showed promise in nearly every phase on Sunday. The kick return unit allowed just 17.3 yards per return, all tackles by rookies – Chris Rumph, Amen Ogbongbemiga, and Nick Niemann. The Bengals returned only one punt, but it went for just five yards. Andre Roberts averaged 33 yards per kick return. All around, it was an encouraging development.

Chargers PFF grades: Best, worst performers in Week 13 win over Bengals

Spotlighting Pro Football Focus’ studs and duds from the Chargers’ win over the Bengals.

In Week 13, the Chargers ran away with a road win over the Bengals.

En route to victory, there were a handful of players who helped guide the team along the way.

With that being said, here are the best and worst performers from Sunday’s contest, according to Pro Football Focus’ player grades.

Note: To be more accurate, this is based on players who played at least 35% of the snaps on offense (64) or defense (75).

Top 5 Offense

WR Jalen Guyton — 77.6

WR Keenan Allen — 74.3

OT Rashawn Slater — 74.0

C Corey Linsley — 73.5

QB Justin Herbert — 71.9

Top 5 Defense

DT Justin Jones — 87.5

EDGE Uchenna Nwosu — 83.9

LB Drue Tranquill — 78.3

DT Christian Covington — 74.8

S Derwin James — 70.5

Bottom 5 Offense

TE Jared Cook — 64.1

OT Storm Norton — 62.5

RB Austin Ekeler — 55.5

WR Josh Palmer — 48.1

TE Stephen Anderson — 43.9

Bottom 5 Defense

EDGE Chris Rumph II — 57.2

CB Tevaughn Campbell — 51.0

S Nasir Adderley — 50.4

DL Joe Gaziano — 41.6

DT Jerry Tillery — 35.7

Good things happen when Chargers QB Justin Herbert lets it fly

Chargers QB Justin Herbert put together one of his strongest performances of the season.

After a down performance a week ago, Justin Herbert turned the page and delivered in a big way for the Chargers. Herbert finished 26-of-35 passing for 317 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.

But the highlight of his performance was his slew of down-the-field opportunities after the constant narrative of him being on a leash – completing passes of 41, 47, 44, and 33 yards.

Herbert benefited from the play designs from Joe Lombardi and the favorable matchups.

Herbert’s receivers’ had a height advantage on the Bengals’ defensive backs, which led to him uncorking deep balls to Mike Williams and one to Jalen Guyton for a touchdown.

Herbert finished with a 10.2-yard average depth of target — his highest average this season, per Pro Football Focus.

“That’s when we’re at our best,” Brandon Staley said, “when Mike’s touching the football, and Jalen, Keenan, and we’re attacking the deep part of the field.”

Another thing worth noting is that Herbert was a lot more efficient going through his reads and decisiveness, something he struggled with weeks prior.

There’s no denying Herbert’s arm talent, as he’s always been money on deep balls. It was on display at Paul Brown Stadium, and ultimately, it was a driving factor for Los Angeles’ win over Cincinnati.

Watch: Scenes after Chargers’ victory over Bengals

Watch as the Chargers celebrated their 41-22 win over the Bengals.

The Chargers moved to 7-5 after beating the Bengals on the road.

After taking a 24-0 lead, Los Angeles surrendered a 22-0 run to make it a close game. But the Bolts were able to close things out in the fourth quarter after going on a 17-0 of their own.

Following the 41-22 victory, watch below as the Chargers celebrated, including head coach Brandon Staley’s weekly post-game speech.