The Chargers Have Learned How to Be a Winning Football Team

The way Herbert recovered from the pick-six was one of the reasons they won. Despite the interception, he completed 19 of 29 passes for 250 yards and two touchdowns.

Herbert appeared much more poised throughout the rest of the game. He sustained long drives and found the end zone mostly successfully, throwing a dime to Quentin Johnston. Additionally, he had a short rushing touchdown to put the Chargers up 20-17 at halftime.

Neither team scored in the third quarter, and L.A. held Tennessee to three points in the entire second half, not forcing Herbert to play hero ball.

Despite the early mishap, one of Herbert’s only interceptions this year not attributed to a tipped pass, the offense found their rhythm thanks to his consistency. For so much of his first few years in the league, his consistency wasn’t enough to win games. With a competent defense now, though, he can move on from mistakes without the game slipping away.

Balancing Act

Defensively, the Chargers stood their ground when the offense struggled. They sacked Cam Ward four times, limiting him to just 145 passing yards and zero touchdowns. They also forced two punts and a turnover on downs in the second half, all in a row.

The defense had two straight stops on L.A.’s one-yard line, which likely would’ve given Tennessee its second win of the season if they hadn’t prevented those points.

The Chargers didn’t win because they played their best football, but because they weren’t too frazzled to pull it together when things went wrong. For a team that has often folded in close games, this one felt different.

At 6–3, Los Angeles isn’t perfect. The offensive line is a major problem, the run game is ineffective, and injuries continue to pile up. They traded for Trevor Penning from the Saints for a 2027 sixth-round pick.

Penning has played both right and left tackle, and with Rashawn Slater and Alt out for the season, the offensive line continues to be the Bolts’ most significant liability. Penning is considered by many to be a first-round bust, but the Chargers need him to produce if they have any hope of maintaining this success.

Despite their struggles, the Chargers are finally showing some mental fortitude to grind through ugly games and finish strong. They still have one of the best quarterbacks and receiving rooms in the NFL, as well as a defense that has the potential to be No. 1 in the league.

Despite all odds, they’ve found wins, and they need to continue that streak regardless of how ugly they are.