Chargers’ offense, defense meet halfway in convincing win over Browns
CLEVELAND — The offense dominated in the first half. The defense made the flashy plays in the second.
The Chargers added it up to a 27-10 win over the Cleveland Browns on Sunday at Huntington Park Stadium to approach the middle of the season with three wins in their last four games.
Instead of maintaining sustained dominance on both sides, the Chargers (5-3) passed the baton between the offense and defense. They built a 17-point halftime lead and then went cold, punting three straight times in the third quarter.
Chargers dominate on defense to defeat Browns 27-10
🏈 Chargers 27, Browns 10 — FINAL
Cleveland quarterback Jameis Winston connected on a 27-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Cedric Tillman with 44 seconds left in regulation, but it was too little, too late for the Browns.
The Chargers dominated on defense, recording three interceptions and six sacks to overcome its struggles on offense for most of the second half. The Chargers capitalized on blown coverages to score two big touchdowns in the first half — one on a 28-yard reception by Joshua Palmer and another on a 66-yard catch by Quentin Johnston.
J.K. Dobbins scored on touchdown runs of seven and 16 yards.
Justin Herbert completed 18 of 27 passes for 282 yards and two touchdowns — 250 of those yards came in the first half. Johnston made four catches for 118 yards and Ladd McConkey had five receptions for 64 yards.
Browns quarterback Jameis Winston completed 26 of 46 passes for 235 yards and a touchdown. Elijah Molden, Tarheeb Still and Alohi Gilman picked off Winston.
The Chargers (5-3) will next play Tennessee on Nov. 10. The Browns (2-7) will face the New Orleans Saints next on Nov. 17.
J.K. Dobbins scores his second touchdown of the game
🏈 Chargers 27, Browns 3 — 4:16 left in the fourth quarter
J.K. Dobbins scored on a seven-yard run for his second touchdown of the game to extend the Chargers’ lead late in the fourth quarter.
The touchdown came after Teair Tart blocked a 51-yard field-goal attempt by Cleveland’s Dustin Hopkins. A 34-yard run by Dobbins fueled the Chargers’ four-play, 46-yard drive.
Tarheeb Still picks off Jameis Winston for Chargers’ third interception
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 9:33 left in the fourth quarter
The Chargers’ young secondary has put on a show today, and Tarheeb Still has been at the center of it.
After deflecting a pass in the end zone to set up an interception by teammate Elojah Molden in the third quarter, Still picked off Browns quarterback Jameis Winston in the fourth quarter to thwart another Cleveland drive.
Winston has thrown three interceptions today.
Cameron Dicker misses a 44-yard field-goal attempt for Chargers
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 11:33 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker missed a 44-yard field-goal attempt — the first time he has missed a field-goal try under 50 yards in his career. He missed an extra-point attempt earlier in the game.
Justin Herbert connected on a 20-yard pass to rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey to set up the field goal try. The Chargers have just one first down in the second half.
Alohi Gilman picks off Jameis Winston to halt Browns drive
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 2:20 left in the third quarter
Chargers safety Alohi Gilman made a diving interception on a pass from Browns quarterback Jameis Winston to halt another Cleveland drive in its tracks. It was the second interception thrown by Winston in the third quarter.
The Chargers couldn’t make much out of the turnover — on the ensuing drive, they went three and out for the third time in the second half.
Chargers go three and out on first two possessions of second half
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 3:54 left in the third quarter
After a strong finish to the first half, Justin Herbert have struggled against the Browns’ defense in the third quarter. They’ve gone three and out on their first two possessions of the second half, with Herbert throwing three consecutive incompletions.
Chargers’ Elijah Molden intercepts Jameis Winston in the end zone
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 6:44 left in the third
Elijah Molden and Tarheeb Still put the brakes on what was the Browns’ best drive of the game.
On a pass from Jameis Winston intended for Jerry Jeudy in the end zone, Still deflected it and Molden intercepted it for a touchback. It ended a 14-play, 65-yard drive for Cleveland.
The interception came two plays after the Browns converted on fourth and one on a Winston force push up the middle.
Chargers lead at halftime despite Browns sacking Justin Herbert six times
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — HALFTIME
The Chargers tried to extend their lead before halftime, but a sixth sack on Justin Herbert coupled with a penalty by rookie offensive tackle Joe Alt spoiled their plans to at least get into field-goal range.
The Chargers really tried to get into the end zone — using multiple laterals on the final play of the half after a 39-yard catch by Quentin Johnston. J.K. Dobbins eventually ended up with the ball before being tackled out of bounds.
Earlier in the possession, Herbert narrowly avoided a sack for a safety by completing a two-yard pass to tight end Eric Tomlinson. He then connected on a 26-yard pass to Joshua Palmer. Later in the drive, linebacker Devin Bush sacked Herbert for the Browns’ sixth sack today.
Despite this, Herbert has completed his last 12 pass attempts. He completed 14 of 16 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came on blown coverages on third downs. The Chargers have 256 total yards to the Browns’ 57 total yards.
Browns quarterback Jameis Winston has completed six of 13 passes for 47 yards.
J.K. Dobbins scores on 16-yard run to cap speedy Chargers drive
🏈 Chargers 20, Browns 3 — 3:30 left in the second quarter
J.K. Dobbins scored on a 16-yard run to cap a speedy, five-play, 60-yard scoring drive for the Chargers.
Justin Herbert connected on a 21-yard pass to Quentin Johnston and a 19-yard pass to Ladd McConkey to fuel the drive.
Chargers extend lead on 66-yard TD catch by Quentin Johnston
🏈 Chargers 13, Browns 3 — 8:01 left in the second quarter
The Chargers capitalized on another mammoth mistake by the Browns’ secondary, with Justin Herbert connecting on a 66-yard touchdown pass to Quentin Johnston to extend the Chargers’ lead.
Johnston was wide open sprinting down the sideline when he made the catch, with Browns safety Juan Thornhill nowhere near him in coverage.
Cameron Dicker missed the extra-point attempt.
It’s the second touchdown pass the Browns have allowed on a third and long today. It also came two plays after Myles Garrett recorded his third sack on Herbert today — the Browns have sacked him four times so far.
Browns cut into the Chargers’ lead in the second quarter
🏈 Chargers 7, Browns 3 — 9:30 left in the second quarter
Dustin Hopkins kicked a 38-yard field goal for the Browns to get them on the scoreboard, capping a 10-play, 34-yard drive.
The Browns managed to drive into the red zone before Chargers safety Elijah Molden broke up a pass intended for Browns wide receiver Jerry Jeudy in the back of the end zone. Chargers defensive end Morgan Fox then sacked Jameis Winston on third down to necessitate the field-goal try.
Like Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Winston has been sacked three times.
Myles Garrett making things difficult for Justin Herbert and Chargers
🏈 Chargers 7, Browns 0 — End of the first quarter
The Chargers could be in for a tough day if they can’t find a way to stop Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett.
The first quarter ended with Garrett sacking Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice over three plays. Herbert has been sacked three times so far.
While the Chargers defense — particularly Khalil Mack — has made life difficult for Browns quarterback Jameis Winston, it appears Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is leaning on his pass rush as the best way to thwart Herbert.
If it hadn’t been for a 53-yard punt return by Derius Davis that gave the Chargers excellent field position, this probably would still be a scoreless game.
Justin Herbert connects on 27-yard TD strike to Joshua Palmer
🏈 Chargers 7, Browns 0 — 6:49 left in the first quarter
Justin Herbert connected on a 27-yard touchdown pass to a wide open Joshua Palmer to give the Chargers an early lead.
One play after he was sacked by Dalvin Tomlinson and Shelby Harris, Herbert took advantage of broken coverage by Cleveland on third and 21 to find Palmer all alone in the end zone.
A 53-yard punt return by Derius Davis played a big role in setting up the six-play, 30-yard scoring drive.
The Herbert-Ladd McConkey connection is off to a hot start. Herbert has already completed three passes for 31 yards to the rookie wide receiver..
Despite all of the injuries the Chargers have on defense, they got off to an impressive start against Jameis Winston and the Cleveland offense. Tui Tuipuloutu and Cam Hart combined for a sack and forced Winston to throw an incomplete pass on third down.
Bradley Bozeman’s reaction to ‘dirty hit’ on Chargers’ Justin Herbert feeds foundation
After Bradley Bozeman became the football field’s version of Batman — dispensing vigilante justice by pinning New Orleans Saints defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd to the turf after a dangerous takedown of quarterback Justin Herbert last Sunday — the Chargers center’s wife, Nikki, drove home from SoFi Stadium hoping the reaction simply would stay in the family’s favor.
With a boost from the Chargers, it got even better.
Chargers take Jim Harbaugh’s sometimes comical words very seriously
Eyebrows raise. Eyes dart back and forth. Heads cock to the side.
When Jim Harbaugh starts talking, Chargers players never quite know how to react.
“It’s like a really fun wild roller coaster,” quarterback Taylor Heinicke said, “that comes with a cool ending.”
D.J. Chark will not make his Chargers debut vs. Browns on Sunday
Despite being taken off injured reserve Sunday, receiver D.J. Chark Jr. will not make his Chargers debut Sunday against the Cleveland Browns.
The 28-year-old receiver, who went on injured reserve with a preseason hip injury, is inactive for the Week 9 game. After the Chargers opened his 21-day window to return on Oct. 16, he had until Nov. 5 to be added to the active roster or be put on season-ending injured reserve. While he initially suffered a hip injury, he has been listed on the report with a groin injury since returning to practice.
Chark said this week playing against the Browns (2-6) was a possibility if his recovery stayed on track.
“Being out pretty much two months in the football season is like years,” Chark said this week. “But I can’t wait to play with my guys. I love these guys. They’ve been great teammates and I just want to come and pull my weight, nothing more, nothing less and help this team win.”
Several receivers have stepped up in Chark’s absence, including rookie Ladd McConkey, who leads the Chargers with 30 catches for 376 yards and four touchdowns. With just four career catches in the past two seasons, Simi Fehoko has six catches for 106 yards this year. Quentin Johnston, a 2023 first-round draft pick, also flashed his potential with his first multi-touchdown game before missing the last two games with an ankle injury.
While Chark remains out, Johnston and Derius Davis (hamstring) are back in the rotation Sunday. The Chargers moved receiver Brenden Rice (shoulder) to injured reserve while activating Chark.
With Davis and Johnston back entering Tuesday’s trade deadline, the Chargers may need to turn their attention to cornerback, where they have turned to veteran Eli Apple for help.
The Chargers elevated the 2016 first-round draft pick from the practice squad Saturday as they will be without starting corner Kristian Fulton (hamstring). The team signed Apple on Oct. 15 as injuries to Asante Samuel Jr. (shoulder), Deane Leonard (hamstring) and Ja’Sir Taylor (fibula) started piling up. Samuel and Leonard are still on injured reserve, forcing rookies Cam Hart and Tarheeb Still into major roles. The pair of fifth-round picks could be in line to start again Sunday.
“It’s been a gift, a gift from the football gods, [to have] two rookie first-year NFL players at that position,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday. “There’s no easy position to be good in the NFL in the first year, but I know that’s one of the harder ones.”
Apple, 29, was not in a training camp this offseason after appearing in 10 games for the Miami Dolphins in 2023.
Jim Harbaugh added this detail in the Chargers locker room. It’s unifying the team
Five stars here. Three over there. And two more next door.
This isn’t the Hollywood Walk of Fame but the locker room at the Chargers’ practice facility. Above every locker stall is a placard that’s adorned with a name, number and college alma mater, but also the player’s high school and rank as a recruit.
For instance, quarterback Justin Herbert was a 3-Star prospect out of Sheldon High in Eugene, Ore.
Chargers-Saints takeaways: Ladd McConkey has big hands, and two touchdowns, in win
The Chargers defeated the New Orleans Saints, 26-8, at SoFi Stadium on Sunday to move above .500 approaching the midway point of the season.
What we learned from the victory, the Chargers now 4-3:
Ladd McConkey is a complete receiver
In his seventh career game, rookie receiver Ladd McConkey delivered two touchdowns and 111 yards receiving on six catches to become the first Chargers rookie to post a 100-yard receiving game since Keenan Allen in 2013.
The six-time Pro Bowl selection’s departure before this season because of salary-cap issues has left a major hole in the Chargers offense that is averaging just 17.8 points per game.
Chargers vs. Cleveland Browns: How to watch, prediction and betting odds
He shut down Maxx Crosby in his NFL debut. He matched up with T.J. Watt. Joe Alt’s trial by fire in the NFL continues with Cleveland’s Myles Garrett.
The Chargers rookie right tackle will match up with another premier NFL edge rusher Sunday in Cleveland’s Huntington Bank Field (10 a.m. PST, CBS) as the offense tries to maintain its recent progress.
Alt, a 6-foot-8, 21-year-old who Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh called a “baby-faced giant,” and left tackle Rashawn Slater didn’t give up a single quarterback pressure against the New Orleans Saints, according to Pro Football Focus, allowing the Chargers (4-3) to settle into a rhythm in the passing game.