By BETH HARRIS
Justin Herbert completed off the Los Angeles Chargers’ season-opening victory in type, sliding for a primary down that successfully ended the sport.
The quarterback earned type factors for his scramble and sideline slide that capped a 318-yard, three-touchdown efficiency in a 27-21 victory over the Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs on Friday evening in Sao Paulo. Herbert had 32 yards dashing, too.
Los Angeles’ first win over the Chiefs since Sept. 26, 2021, snapped a seven-game skid towards the group that has dominated the AFC for practically a decade.
“It’s monumental,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh mentioned. “September fifth will go down in some Charger lore, for my part. It was an enormous win.”
The NFL’s second sport South America was streamed on YouTube, with Brazilian soccer famous person Neymar in attendance. Newly engaged pop famous person Taylor Swift wasn’t there to look at fiancé Travis Kelce and see Colombian singer Karol G carry out at halftime.
Herbert turned simply the third quarterback in Chargers historical past with 300 yards and three TDs in a season opener. His 19-yard run on third-and-14 dashed any comeback hopes the Chiefs had with 2:21 to play. He completed 25 of 34 and was sacked thrice.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight, so we confirmed up right this moment with our greatest effort,” Herbert mentioned. “It was enjoyable to see.”
Mahomes was 24 of 39 for 258 yards, one landing and two sacks.
“This will probably be an enormous lesson for us,” Mahomes mentioned. “They positively got here out with extra power than we did. We obtained to get higher from the beginning.”
Herbert’s 23-yard TD move to Quentin Johnston prolonged the result in 26-18 with 5:02 remaining within the fourth. They attached for a 5-yard TD on the Chargers’ opening drive of the sport.
Chased by Khalil Mack, Mahomes threw incomplete to Marquise Brown on first-and-goal on the LA 9. Two extra incomplete passes introduced on Harrison Butker, whose 27-yard subject purpose lower the deficit to 27-21 with 2:34 remaining.
The Chiefs closed to 20-18 on Mahomes’ 37-yard TD move to Kelce early within the fourth. The two-point conversion failed as Mahomes’ move was incomplete to Noah Grey.
“A number of occasions we shot ourselves within the foot,” Chiefs defensive deal with Chris Jones mentioned.
Accidents
The Chiefs had been already down two receivers to start out the sport, with Rashee Rice suspended to start out the season and rookie Jalen Royals out with a knee damage.
They misplaced one other one three snaps into the sport.
Xavier Worthy and teammate Kelce collided on a third-down move. Worthy needed to be helped off the sector and was later dominated out with a proper shoulder damage.
Chargers linebacker Denzel Perryman didn’t return after leaving with an ankle damage within the third.
Rookie miscue
Chargers working again Omarion Hampton made a rookie mistake late within the first half.
The primary-round draft decide obtained a handoff on Third-and-16 within the remaining minute when the Chiefs had no timeouts left. As an alternative of staying in bounds and letting the clock run, Hampton ran out of bounds. That stopped the clock and the Chargers obtained a 36-yard subject purpose by Cameron Dicker for a 13-3 lead.
Mahomes then moved the Chiefs inside subject purpose vary and their kicking unit rushed on the sector. Butker hit a 59-yarder with the 40 seconds to go, leaving the Chiefs trailing 13-6.
Take that
Kelce shoved Chargers defensive deal with Teair Tart, who responded with a blow to Kelce’s helmet within the third quarter. Tart was penalized for pointless roughness, however wasn’t thrown out as a result of he used an open hand.
Up subsequent
Chiefs: Host Philadelphia on Sept. 14 in a Tremendous Bowl rematch.
Chargers: At Las Vegas on Sept. 15.
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