Chargers 34 Bengals 27
The Bengals rallied from a 21 point deficit to tie the game in the 4th quarter. But Evan McPherson missed a 48-yard FG with 7:35 left in the game and a 51-yarder with 1:52 remaining. Taking over at his own 16 with :45 left, Chargers QB Justin Herbert led a four play/84-yard TD drive to win it. He threw 28 yards and 27 yards to Lad McConkey. Then JK Dobbins broke multiple tackles for the 29-yard game winning run with :18 left.
The Bengals are now 4-7.
Circle the sequence: Down 27-6 in 3rd, got B-B defensive 3 & out, wrapped around TD to make it 27-13. Then, facing 4th & 2, Burrow 42-yard TD Higgins, 27-20 LA. Hilton forced Herbert fumble, recovered by Stone. Turned into Burrow to Chase game-tying 17-yard TD.
-----------------------------
Defense:
Flip of script in 2nd half. 24 point 1st half. 3 point 2nd half… until final drive.
Forced punt w/ 5:36 remaining and another w/ 1:34 left.
Hilton just missed INT w/ 1:39 left.
Embarrassing 1st half. 24 points/272 yards: 3 straight TD drives. Multiple secondary breakdowns. Wide open spaces. CTB penalty. Hill late hit. Trey roughing.
Josh Newton replaced CTB in 2nd quarter. End zone PI. Nice PBU. Big PBU 1:34.
DJ Turner two really nice plays. Left w/ clavicle injury.
Herbert: 17-36-297. 26 & 29-yard TD passes. Broke off 9, 20 and 31 yard runs. Just his 3rd turnover of the season.
———————————
Offense:
Came alive in 2nd half w/ three straight 2nd half TD drives.
Most points scored vs Chargers. First to top 20 points.
The Bengals got the ball back with 1:26 left. But were forced to punt. The Chargers took over on their own 16 with :45 left and drove to win it.
Burrow: 28-50-356. 3 TD. 3 Sacks. Houdini escape 34-yard throw to Brown. 3rd & 15 escape for 15 yard scramble w/ 9:00 left. Got pummeled. Looked demoralized at times.
Higgins: 9-138. TD. 20-23-42 yard catches.
Found run game in 2nd half. Brown: 22-86, 27-yard run. 5-57, 14 and 34-yard catches.
Chase: 7-75, 2 TD.
1st half: 126 yards. 2 red zone FG from LA 9 and 8 yard line. 1 of 7 3rd down.
Early ouch: 1st & goal at 3 into 3rd & goal at 18: Illegal motion Hudson/Intentional grounding. Four straight passes. No runs. Settled for 26-yard FG.
———————————
Special Teams:
Burton 36-yard KR. McPherson 26, 27 yard FG. Miss from 48, 51. Rehkow 32-yard punt.
———————————
Frustration: NBC reported Vonn Bell was yelling at CTB on the sidelines to “wake up”….Multiple reports indicated Trey Hendrickson slapped Zac’s hand away as Taylor was trying to calm him down on the sidelines.