The Chargers emerged victorious in a thriller against the Atlanta Falcons that stayed competitive from whistle to whistle.
The game did not start as the shootout the world thought it would be. The Falcons drove down the field on their first drive, getting right into field goal range. However, the Chargers defense held up in the red zone and forced a missed field goal from 35 yards for Younghoe Koo. On the first drive from the Chargers offense, Hassan Haskins fumbled the ball and the Falcons recovered. Atlanta capitalized on the opportunity, punching the ball in with Bijan Robinson after bringing it 27 yards downfield. The Chargers got on the board on their next drive via a Cameron Dicker Field Goal. Rookie CB Tarheeb Still picked off Kirk Cousins on Atlanta’s next drive, leading to a 51-yarder from Dicker to make it a one-point Atlanta lead. The Chargers forced a three-and-out from the Falcons offense and hit another field goal to take the lead.
The second half was more of this slow, physical football. The Falcons struck first, with Younghoe Koo making his first field goal of the day. On their next drive, the momentum shifted. Kirk Cousins threw it to Darnell Mooney, with Tarheeb Still getting his second interception, taking this one to the end zone. The Chargers jumped out to a 17-10 lead. Atlanta scored another field goal on their next drive to make it a one-score game. The Chargers decided to fake a punt on fourth-and-four, with TE Stone Smartt being tackled a yard short of the first down. Atlanta couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, as Cousins threw his third interception of the game, this one to waiver pickup Marcus Maye in the end zone. Cousins couldn’t get the job done once again, as their last drive ended in yet another interception, star S Derwin James making the game-winning grab. The Chargers left Atlanta 8-4 after a 17-4 win against the Falcons, who are now 6-6.
Tarheeb Still was the MVP of this game. The late-round rookie CB got two of his three career interceptions on Sunday, with one of them providing the Chargers’ only second-half points. His play threw Kirk Cousins off of his game, and it gave the Bolts the energy they needed to get the win. When his rookie teammate Cam Hart returns to the secondary, QBs are going to have trouble throwing against the Chargers for years. The big question as it pertains to this team is what to do with Asante Samuel Jr. Samuel is slated to be a free agent, and was at one point their CB1. This season, he has slid down the ranks and could find himself behind Kristian Fulton, Hart, and Still at the position he held down one year ago. The son of the Super Bowl Champ still has room to grow, but his lack of tackling causes him to be a liability at times, and his situation in the offseason will be intriguing.
The other narrative for the secondary is how elite of a defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is. It does seem at this point that the Bolts’ run defense is not as strong as it was once thought. However, Minter’s scheme powered a patchwork secondary to hold Pro Bowl QB Kirk Cousins to one of the worst games of his career. Without Alohi Gilman, Asante Samuel Jr, Denzel Perryman, and others, the Chargers forced four interceptions from Cousins, tying his career high. Marcus Maye had a massive grab in the red zone after being picked up from the Dolphins this past week. Former Ravens star Tony Jefferson has been retired for years, and helped make multiple stops down the stretch. Minter doesn’t have the people up front that could make the Bolts a complete, elite defense, but his ability to win with anyone on the field can make him a strong head coaching candidate this offseason.
Ladd McConkey once again cemented himself as a cornerstone of this offense moving forward. He had 117 yards on nine receptions, being Herbert’s primary target all game. He played through a shoulder injury that kept him out for multiple plays at a time. McConkey reached 100 yards before halftime and only made one catch in the second half. The Chargers could decide to go out and get a true WR1 this offseason, but it may not be necessary. McConkey is as fast and athletic as any wideout the Chargers have had in years (not including Derius Davis), and they can line him up outside and in the slot. His IQ is elite for his age, as well. The coaches already run choice routes for him, showing their trust in the second-round pick. It’s paying off, as many say Ladd was the steal of the draft.
The Chargers have advanced to 8-4 and are among those in control of the AFC Wild Card. At this point, the most important game remaining is the Thursday Night Matchup against the Broncos. Denver is reeling and a loss to them could open up a space for a team like the Colts or maybe even the Dolphins to squeeze in. Of course, if they handle business against teams like the Buccaneers, Patriots, and Raiders, they will make the playoffs regardless. The Chargers are a playoff team, and the NFL world is still getting adjusted to it.