Everything to know from Chargers’ nail-biting victory over Vikings
The Chargers picked up their first win of the season, defeating the Vikings in a game that came down to the wire.
To recap Week 3, here is everything you need to know:
It was over when...
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Kenneth Murray picked off Kirk Cousins in the end zone, which was initially tipped by JT Woods.
Keys to the game
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Justin Herbert passed for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
Keenan Allen had 215 receiving yards..and a passing touchdown.
The Chargers held the Vikings to 4 of 14 on third down.
The Chargers had 12 penalties for 94 yards.
The Chargers forced two turnovers.
The Chargers defense sacked Kirk Cousins four times.
3 stars of the game
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QB Justin Herbert: Herbert became the second player in NFL history to pass for over 400 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a completion percentage of 85% or higher in a single game.
WR Keenan Allen: Allen’s 18 receptions are the most in a game in Chargers history. He’s also the first player in Chargers history with 15 receptions and 200 receiving yards in a game, per ESPN’s Stats & Info.
LB Kenneth Murray: Murray led the Chargers in tackles and had a couple of great plays in the red zone, including the game-sealing interception.
Quick Hits
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Brandon Staley’s decision to go for it on 4th-and-1 instead of punting it will be a heavily debated topic. The analytics were in favor of the Chargers going for it, but Kellen Moore’s play call was just not the right one.
It was only a matter of time until we saw a Herbert masterclass this season and he delivered on Sunday. Even in the face of pressure at times, Herbert was calm and poised and delivered beautiful passes to all parts of the field.
Herbert’s top target, Allen, looked like his 2017 form, consistently getting open and reeling in even the tough catches.
Before he left the game with a knee injury, Mike Williams was heavily involved in the action, finishing with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, which came from Allen on a trick play.
The 100th passing touchdown of Herbert’s career went to Joshua Palmer, who had four catches for 66 yards.
Donald Parham continues to be a red zone threat for the Chargers, as he had his first multi-touchdown performance of his career.
Even though it was a pass-heavy approach, the run game was nonexistent again. Joshua Kelley had 11 carries for just 12 yards and Isaiah Spiller ran twice for seven yards. It’s clear they miss Austin Ekeler.
It was a bend-don’t-break defensive performance. The same issues of allowing explosive plays continued, as they allowed a total of ten, five on the ground and five through the air, including the 52-yard touchdown to Justin Jefferson. These are what kept the Vikings in the game.
But there were some positives, most notably the pass rush. They finished with four sacks and 13 quarterback hits. Rookie Tuli Tuipulotu, who was active all game, had 1.5 sacks and four QB hits.
Regardless, even without Williams and Derwin James in the final quarter, the Chargers stood tall and prevailed in a must-win game.
What's next?
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The Chargers return home to SoFi Stadium to take on the Raiders next Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1:05 pm PT.
