Justin Herbert and the Los Angeles Chargers finally found their rhythm again, cruising to a 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football. The victory snapped a rough stretch in which the Chargers had dropped three of their last four games and slipped from the top of the AFC West.
Justin Herbert was sharp all night, throwing for 227 yards and three touchdowns as Los Angeles (5-3) earned its first win since Week 6 against Miami. The offense wasted no time, scoring on three of its first four drives to build a commanding 21-3 halftime lead.
Keenan Allen made history along the way, catching four passes for 44 yards to become just the second player in franchise history — alongside Hall of Famer Antonio Gates — to surpass 11,000 career receiving yards.
The Vikings (3-4) struggled to keep up, losing back-to-back games for the first time this season in a five-day span. Their offense never found traction, finishing with just 12 first downs and converting only three of 11 third downs.
With rookie JJ McCarthy still sidelined by an ankle injury, veteran Carson Wentz got the start on short rest. Playing through a sore shoulder, Wentz completed 15 of 27 passes for 144 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, but was sacked five times by an aggressive Chargers defense.
Los Angeles dominated the first half. Oronde Gadsden II opened the scoring with an eight-yard touchdown catch, Kimani Vidal added a three-yard rushing score, and Ladd McConkey hauled in a 27-yard TD from Herbert. Kicker Cameron Dicker added a 49-yard field goal early in the third to stretch the lead to 24-3.
Minnesota’s lone touchdown came after a Herbert interception set them up deep in Chargers territory. Penalties extended the drive, and Wentz connected with Jordan Addison from four yards out to make it 24-10.
But the Chargers quickly closed the door. Justin Herbert found Tre’ Harris for a six-yard touchdown early in the fourth, and Dicker later hit two more field goals to seal the win. Rookie RJ Mickens also grabbed his first career interception to cap a dominant defensive showing.
With the victory, the Chargers look back on track heading into the second half of the season, while the Vikings face questions on both sides of the ball after another disappointing outing.
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