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Lindsey ThiryESPN
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Inside a vigorous State Farm Stadium on Sunday, the Los Angeles Chargers‘ season teetered on the brink, however coach Brandon Staley didn’t flinch.
Trailing the Arizona Cardinals 24-17, quarterback Justin Herbert accomplished a 1-yard landing go to working again Austin Ekeler to drag the Bolts inside a degree, 24-23, with 15 seconds remaining.
Following the rating, Staley might have elected to kick an additional level and sure ship the sport to additional time.
As a substitute, the offense remained on the sector and Herbert transformed a 2-point play to tight finish Gerald Everett to elevate the Chargers to a 25-24 win.
“We got here right here to win,” Staley stated of his resolution. “We’re simply dwelling week to week. It was about this sport for us and pouring into this sport and doing what we felt like was going to win us the soccer sport.”
Excessive threat, excessive reward.
“We do not come to lose. We do not come to tie,” stated vast receiver Keenan Allen. “Let’s win.”
The win retains the Chargers (6-5) within the hunt for an AFC playoff spot. A loss would have despatched their probability of a postseason berth spiraling.
“At this level, all video games for us are like a must-win,” Ekeler stated. “You see the remainder of the AFC profitable video games … we obtained to catch up just a few.”
“It undoubtedly was a must-win for us,” stated security Derwin James Jr., who produced two first-half turnovers that the Bolts have been unable to capitalize on.
James stated he wouldn’t permit his thoughts to ponder what would have occurred to the season had the 2-point try failed.
The victory improved the Bolts’ possibilities of incomes their first playoff berth since 2018 to 60%, in accordance with ESPN analytics. A loss would have dropped their probabilities to 36%.
“I imagined that we have been going to go for it as a result of that is simply how aggressive we play,” stated Herbert, who accomplished 35 of 47 passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns, regardless of taking 4 sacks. “I really like that about our coach.”
ESPN’s analytics agreed with Staley’s resolution to go for the 2-point play. The Chargers had a forty five.2% probability to win kicking the additional level, and a forty five.6% probability to win going for 2.
The offense struggled all through the sport to develop a constant rhythm because the Bolts fell behind within the first half by double digits for a sixth time this season.
After punting on the primary three possessions, Herbert led back-to-back scoring drives and the Chargers went into halftime trailing 17-14.
Out of the break, kicker Cameron Dicker made a 26-yard area aim to tie the sport at 17, however quarterback Kyler Murray put the Cardinals forward within the fourth quarter 24-17 on a 6-yard landing go to James Conner.
Three of the Chargers’ 5 second-half possessions resulted in punts earlier than Herbert put collectively the game-winning drive, one thing he did not do in back-to-back losses the previous two weeks towards the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, when he threw interceptions to finish each video games.
However on Sunday, following a 20-yard punt return from DeAndre Carter, Herbert put collectively a seven-play, 38-yard drive that resulted in Ekeler reaching the pylon on a brief go.
“He made lots of profitable performs on that two-minute drive,” Staley stated. “After we actually wanted him within the clutch, he delivered.”
Staley stated he knew early within the drive that they might go for a 2-point play to win and that the playcall can be to Everett.
“Clean like chocolate milk,” Staley stated in describing the play, which discovered Everett vast open throughout the aim line.
“Nobody wished it greater than me. I used to be simply excited when [Herbert] really known as it within the huddle,” stated Everett, who had 4 catches for 18 yards. “I simply gave Justin that look and he knew. I trusted him and he trusted me.”
“All people knew the ball was going to Gerald,” stated Allen, who caught his first landing go of the season within the first half. “He needed to be large time proper there.”
The Chargers’ season trusted it.
