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Chargers’ Josh Kelley had a first TD celebration planned, until he forgot it

Chargers running back Josh Kelley carries the ball against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
(Emilee Chinn / Associated Press)
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Rookie running back Josh Kelley admitted that, during idle time, he had considered how he would celebrate his first NFL touchdown.

Since overt, blatant individual acts of boundless joy generally are discouraged in college, it’s understandable a player would ponder such things.

But when the Chargers’ rookie did reach the end zone early in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 16-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, he was so wound up he forgot to do what he had planned.

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“When you get out there,” he explained, “it’s just pure adrenaline and emotion.”

Kelley wanted to celebrate by pointing to the Breonna Taylor decal he is wearing on the back of his helmet as part of the NFL’s social justice movement this year.

“Hopefully,” he said, “I can do that this season.”

A few other takeaways from Sunday

  • The Chargers’ three sacks of Joe Burrow all came in the first 19 minutes. They failed to get to him again over the final 41 minutes. “I was encouraged by that rush early,” coach Anthony Lynn said.
  • Two of the Chargers’ past four victories have come on the road when the opposing kicker missed a makeable field goal in the closing seconds. Sunday, Cincinnati’s Randy Bullock failed from 31 yards out. Last October, it was Chicago’s Eddy Pineiro from 41 yards.
  • Up next is Super Bowl-champion Kansas City and a high-flying offense the Chargers likely only can beat by limiting possessions, something that will require better than a one-for-five start on third-down conversions. “[The offense was] a little out of sync early and I’ll take full blame for that,” quarterback Tyrod Taylor said. “We have to be better on third downs and that starts with me.”
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