Chargers-Falcons final score, highlights and recap

The Chargers’ offense received a big individual performance from rookie wideout Ladd McConkey (nine balls, 117 yards) and an even bigger performance from their defense, which sacked quarterback Kirk Cousins ​​four times en route to a win against the Falcons in front of their home crowd in Atlanta eliminated 17-14.

Rookie cornerback Tarheeb was the Bolts’ player of the game as the first-year defensive lineman recorded two interceptions of Cousins, including a return for a 61-yard touchdown. However, the score was the only time the Chargers reached the end zone, as the offense struggled to move the ball most of the day unless McConkey took the lead.

In the first half alone, McConkey had eight of his nine balls for 105 yards. At the end of the day, Quenton Johnston was a distant second on the team with two balls for 12 yards.

Safety Marcus Maye, signed just this week after being claimed off waivers by the Dolphins, recorded Cousins’ third interception. On Atlanta’s final drive of the game, it was Derwin James who completed the fourth-down pass to Falcons wideout Drake London, sealing the Chargers’ victory.

Herbert finished the game with no touchdown passes for the second straight game. He remained flawless without losing the ball and scored 16 shots on 23 attempts.

Gus Edwards led the team with 32 rushing yards on six carries. Rookie Kimani Vidal gained another 20 yards on four carries.

Defensively, linebacker Troy Dye led the team with 14 tackles, followed by Daiyan Henley and James with 10 tackles each. The team’s only sack against Cousins ​​came from defensive tackle Teair Tart, who brought him down during their comeback attempt late in the fourth.

Cameron Dicker was perfect on the day with three field goals, including a long 51.

The Chargers will travel to Kansas City in Week 14 for their fifth primetime game of the season against the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football.

A full quarterly recap of today’s game can be found below.

First quarter

The Falcons won the throw and elected to receive. The Chargers defense was up first.

Kirk Cousins ​​and the Falcons’ offense got off to a good start with a 13-play drive that lasted nearly six and a half minutes after halftime. Atlanta converted on three third downs, but ultimately stalled in the red zone when Cousins ​​made a pass to a wide-open Darnell Mooney short. Younghoe Koo attempted a 35-yard throw but missed wide right.

The Chargers took the lead, but gave it away in the first third of the game when running back Hasaan Haskins was substituted behind the line of scrimmage. The Falcons recovered, but Justin Herbert saved the potential scoop-and-score with a tackle.

Atlanta rode running back Bijan Robinson, who scored a quick two-yard score five plays later to give the Falcons a 7-0 lead.

Herbert responded on their second drive by finding Ladd McConkey, who broke through the defense for a 49-yard gain into the Atlanta red zone. On second-and-8, Herbert was sacked by defensive tackle Grady Jarrett and linebacker Kaden Eliss, resulting in a loss of nine yards. An incompletion on third down led to Cameron Dicker hitting home on a 45-yard kick, cutting the lead to 7-3.

Second quarter

Cousins ​​doubled down on a pass attempt early in the Falcons’ third drive, leading to Tarheeb Stills’ second interception of the year as he undercut wideout Drake London and scored the Chargers’ first takeaway in four games.

The Chargers took the ball to the Atlanta 31-yard line but dropped another sack on Herbert, ending the drive. Dicker made it from 51 yards to bring the Chargers within one point, 7-6.

After forcing Atlanta to punt for the first time, Herbert returned to McConkey for three more receptions to bring the Chargers into Falcons territory. Inside the red zone, Herbert Dissly almost missed a tight pass inside the 5-yard line, but it was just tipped in by linebacker Kaden Eliss. They settled for the field goal again, which gave them a 9-7 lead with a minute left in the first half.

The Chargers’ defense began to settle down further as the half progressed and they managed to stop Atlanta on their final drive of the half before taking a knee and heading into the locker room with a two-point lead.

Third quarter

The Chargers’ offense began the half with a first down against Joshua Palmer, but unfortunately faltered from there. Herbert’s third pass to Quentin Johnston was both incomplete and just wide of the post.

Cousins ​​and the Atlanta offense got going again thanks to Robinson’s hard running and two defensive penalties from the Chargers. Jesse Minter engineered a great press look on a third-and-five at the Bolts’ 23-yard line that forced an incompletion. Koo was good from 41 yards and the Falcons were back on top 10-9.

After forcing another three-pointer from the Chargers, Cousins ​​let the Falcons take control. After nine plays, Cousins ​​threw an ill-advised pass to Mooney near the right sideline, but Still got the ball for the second time and raced back 61 yards for a touchdown. Herbert sent a pin to Palmer in the back of the end zone for a two-point conversion and the Bolts led 17-10 with 1:39 left in the quarter.

On the ensuing drive, Cousins ​​Ray hit Ray McCloud on a short-out route, providing a brief initial lead. McCloud tiptoed to the sideline after Still missed the potential pass breakup and the Falcons wideout darted up the sideline for a huge 60-yard gain, also eluding two would-be Chargers tacklers. The drive would result in another field goal by Koo, increasing the score to 17-13.

Fourth quarter

On a fourth-and-four at their own 36-yard line, the Chargers decided to stay aggressive and attempt a fake punt pass to tight end Stone Smartt. Smartt was tackled just before the sticks and the Falcons took over Chargers territory.

Cousins ​​and the Falcons’ offense squeezed nine plays between the Chargers’ 39-yard and 13-yard lines. On the tenth play of the drive, Cousins ​​stepped into the pocket to escape pressure and threw a pass into the back of the end zone. The only problem was that it went right into a pile of three Chargers defenders and newly signed safety Marcus Maye got away for Cousins’ third INT of the day.

The Chargers’ offense continued to falter as they conceded another three-pointer with just over six minutes to play.

Trailing by four points, the Falcons had to find the end zone for the first time since the first quarter. The Chargers’ defense almost stopped them on fourth down on their own side of the 50, but a holding penalty on cornerback Ja’Sir Taylor gave Atlanta an automatic first down.

The Falcons had the ball on a third-and-two at their own 42-yard line. Cousins ​​took the snap and passed it to McCloud with a jet sweet, but Elijah Molden read it beautifully and beat him for a two-point loss. With the game on the line, Cousins ​​dropped back and shot over the middle to Drake London, who appeared to stumble on the route just enough for Derwin James to jump in front of him and make the game-winning interception.

The Chargers would go 17-13 on the road.