Buccaneers slice up Chargers defense in second half as L.A. falls in playoff seedings
When the SoFi Stadium lights went dark to begin a hype video in the middle of the fourth quarter, hundreds of fans streamed toward the exits. The lights were out on a 40-17 Chargers loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The Chargers lost ground in a tight AFC wild-card race Sunday, unraveling in the second half of a loss coach Jim Harbaugh called “thorough.”
The offense mustered just 32 yards rushing. The unshakable Justin Herbert had a pass intercepted for the first time since Week 2. The defense, which had been the team’s saving grace this season, gave up season highs in yards (505) and points, including 27 unanswered in the second half.
Justin Herbert and Chargers shut out in second half of 40-17 loss
🏈 Buccaneers 40, Chargers 17 — FINAL
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield passed for 288 yards and the Buccaneers scored 20 answered points in a blowout victory that complicates the Chargers’ playoff aims.
The Buccaneers scored on six consecutive possessions to stun a Chargers team that entered the game giving up a league-best 15.9 points per game. The Chargers gave up more than 500 total yards.
Justin Herbert threw his first interception since Week 2 of the season, completing 21 of 33 passes for 195 yards, with two touchdowns.
The Chargers (8-6) next play host to the Denver Broncos on Dec. 22.
Check out the game summary from the Chargers’ loss Sunday.
Chase McLaughlin kicks his fourth field goal for Bucs
🏈 Buccaneers 40, Chargers 17 — 2:51 left in the fourth quarter
Chase McLaughlin kicked a 43-yard field goal — his fourth field goal of the game — to extend Tampa Bay’s already insurmountable lead late in the fourth quarter.
The field goal ended a nine-play, 30-yard drive.
On the previous Chargers possession, a seven-yard pass from Justin Herbert to DJ Chark came up short on fourth down and forced a turnover on downs.
Herbert did not take the field for the Chargers after the McLaughlin field goal, with Taylor Heinicke being tasked with ending the game.
Buccaneers take a 37-17 lead in the fourth quarter
🏈 Buccaneers 37, Chargers 17 — 7:37 left in the fourth quarter
Buccaneers running back Rachaad White caught a short pass and evaded Chargers defenders to score an 11-yard touchdown, giving Tampa Bay a commanding lead.
Bucs receiver Mike Evans caught a 23-yard pass to help power the nine-play, 66-yard drive. The Buccaneers have scored points on their last six possessions against a Chargers team that entered Sunday allowing a league-best 15.9 points per game.
The good news for the Chargers is starting offensive guard Zion Johnson and wide receiver Quentin Johnston are back in the game after exiting briefly because of injuries.
Mike Evans catches 35-yard TD pass to extend Bucs’ lead
🏈 Buccaneers 30, Chargers 17 — 1:36 left in the third quarter
Mike Evans caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from Baker Mayfield to give Tampa Bay a two-touchdown lead.
The score ended a four-play, 42-yard drive on the heels of Justin Herbert throwing his first interception in 357 passes. It was Evans’ second touchdown of the game.
Evans has 136 receiving yards on eight catches and Mayfield has completed 18 of 23 passes for 240 yards, with three touchdowns and an interception. Tampa Bay has 399 yards of total offense.
The Chargers’ three possessions of the third quarter ended with two punts and an interception.
Justin Herbert throws only his second interception this season
Justin Herbert’s streak of not throwing an interception is over.
Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean picked off deep pass from Herbert intended for Quentin Johnston.
The interception ended Herbert’s run of passes without an interception at 357 — one shy of tying Tom Brady for the fourth-longest streak in NFL history. It was Herbert’s first interception since Week 2.
Bucs tack on field goal after Bucky Irving’s 54-yard run
🏈 Buccaneers 23, Chargers 17 — 5:06 left in the third quarter
Chase McLaughlin kicked a 42-yard field goal to extend the Buccaneers’ lead on the heels of another defensive gaffe by the Chargers.
After going three and out on their second straight possession, the Chargers gave up a 54-yard run to Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving, who shed at least one tackle to move the ball to the L.A. 16.
The Chargers did manage to keep the Buccaneers out of the end zone, but the defense benefited from a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty by Bucs wide receiver Jalen McMillan.
On the ensuing possession, the Chargers suffered another blow with starting guard Zion Johnson had to be helped off the field after sustaining an apparent right leg injury.
Mike Evans scores on 57-yard TD pass to give Bucs lead
🏈 Buccaneers 20, Chargers 17 — 10:23 left in the third quarter
Baker Mayfield connected on a 57-yard touchdown pass with wide receiver Mike Evans to put Tampa Bay back into the lead.
Evans caught the pass and brushed off a hit from cornerback Tarheeb Still before sprinting down the sideline about 32 yards to the end zone. It was the longest play from scrimmage for the Buccaneers this season.
The Chargers went three and out on their first possession of the second half.
Buccaneers cut into Chargers’ lead before halftime
🏈 Chargers 17, Buccaneers 13 — HALFTIME
Chase McLaughlin kicked a 37-yard field goal for the Buccaneers to cut into the Chargers’ lead. The field goal came at the end of a 12-play, 61-yard drive.
The Chargers had a chance to extend their lead after Elijah Molden recovered a fumble by Bucs running back Rachaad White (that was forced out by Joey Bosa), but the ensuing drive didn’t go far.
Justin Herbert completed 12 of 16 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns in the first half. Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey made four catches for 47 yards and a touchdown.
Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 14 of 19 passes for 145 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
The Chargers will start the third quarter with the ball, but they won’t have cornerback Cam Hart for the remainder of the game.
Tarheeb Still interception sets up Quentin Johnston TD catch
🏈 Chargers 17, Buccaneers 10 — 7:12 left in the second quarter
Quentin Johnston scored on a 13-yard touchdown reception, spinning off a defender and then running between two more to dive into the end zone and give the Chargers their first lead of the game.
Chargers cornerback Tarheeb Still set up the score, picking off Baker Mayfield for his team-leading fourth interception of the season. He returned the ball 18 yards to the Tampa Bay 27.
From there, Gus Edwards picked up seven yards on the ground and Stone Smartt caught a seven-yard pass before Johnston’s reception.
Cameron Dicker field goal ties game in second quarter
🏈 Buccaneers 10, Chargers 10 — 8:47 left in the second quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 41-yard field goal to tie the game after an eight-play, 51-yard drive by the Chargers.
A spectacular, 31-yard catch by Stone Smartt moved the Chargers into field-goal range.
Unfortunately for the Chargers, they wouldn’t go much further after Justin Herbert was sacked by Levonte David. The Chargers quarterback was slow to get up after going down on the left ankle he injured against the Chiefs last week.
Bucs retake lead on Chase McLaughlin field goal
🏈 Buccaneers 10, Chargers 7 — 13:41 left in the second quarter
The Chargers’ defense came up big on third and goal, stopping Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield at the four-yard line and forcing Tampa Bay to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin.
The 12-play, 66-yard drive included a 21-yard reception by Jalen McMillan but was eventually contained by the Chargers’ defense inside the 10.
Ladd McConkey is back: Rookie receiver scores TD to tie game
🏈 Buccaneers 7, Chargers 7 — 6:18 left in the first quarter
Justin Herbert connected on three passes to rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey on the Chargers’ first possession, with the final one accounting for a seven-yard touchdown to tie the game.
McConkey missed last week’s game because of a knee injury.
Herbert completed five of seven passes on the 10-play, 70-yard drive. McConkey has 27 yards receiving. Quentin Johnston also helped fuel the drive with a 13-yard reception.
Bucs strike first with touchdown on opening drive
🏈 Buccaneers 7, Chargers 0 — 11:14 left in the first quarter
Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield found wide receiver Jalen McMillan wide open on a 26-yard touchdown pass to give the Buccaneers an early lead.
The play capped an efficient seven-play, 70-yard opening drive for Tampa Bay. It was the seventh opening-drive touchdown for the Bucs (tied for the most in the NFL this season).
McMillan also caught a 19-yard pass during the drive. Mayfield connected on four of five passes for 63 yards.
Jim Harbaugh brought wise words and a special ritual to Chargers — and it’s worked
Rashawn Slater surely didn’t become an offensive lineman to speak in public. The thought of addressing a large group makes the 6-foot-4, 315-pound left tackle shrink away. But he knows resistance is futile when Jim Harbaugh is looking for his next target.
The Chargers coach’s daily ritual of inviting one player or coach at random to address the team after practice was first met with confusion and stress. Now the unified locker room considers each day’s “wise words” speech a galvanizing force as the Chargers push toward the playoffs.
“No one’s too small to have a voice,” Slater said. “It keeps us all on the same page.”
How Chargers’ Ladd McConkey went from small-town Georgia to budding NFL stardom
Preston Poag had the night planned. The high school football coach looked ahead at the Georgia Bulldogs’ schedule to see when Ladd McConkey had a free weekend. He convinced the wide receiver to skip out on a hunting trip. The occasion called for it: North Murray High was going to retire McConkey’s jersey.
Poag nearly moved McConkey to tears, but two weeks later the receiver called his former coach and pleaded to not have his jersey retired. There are plenty of other great players who deserve the honor, McConkey said.
“Shut the crap up and get your butt here,” Poag responded.
Ladd McConkey is active for Chargers against the Buccaneers
Receiver Ladd McConkey is active for the Chargers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The rookie will return following a one-game absence after he injured his knee against the Atlanta Falcons.
McConkey, the team’s leading receiver with 815 yards and 58 catches, was also recovering from a shoulder injury.While McConkey comes back, linebacker Denzel Perryman (groin) remains sidelined for the fourth consecutive game. He was questionable heading into Sunday’s game at SoFi Stadium.
Other inactive Chargers players:
QB Easton Stick (third quarterback)
OL Brenden Jaimes
OL Jordan McFadden
TE Will Dissly (shoulder)
DL Justin Eboige
And here are the inactives for the Buccaneers:
LB K.J. Britt
DL Earnest Brown
TE Devin Culp
S Mike Edwards
OG Royce Newman
LB Jose Ramirez
S Antoine Winfield Jr.
Chargers take Jim Harbaugh’s sometimes comical words very seriously
Eyebrows raise. Eyes dart back and forth. Heads cock to the side.
When Jim Harbaugh starts talking, Chargers players never quite know how to react.
“It’s like a really fun wild roller coaster,” quarterback Taylor Heinicke said, “that comes with a cool ending.”
Justin Herbert avoiding interceptions at record rate as Chargers target Buccaneers
At the mention of his record-setting streak of passes without an interception, Justin Herbert gently knocked on a wooden lectern and smirked. A run like this can always use some superstitious help.
Herbert has thrown 335 consecutive passes without an interception, a Chargers record. Still working toward Aaron Rodgers’ NFL record of 402 consecutive passes, Herbert downplayed his streak, saying it is “probably more luck than anything.”
Coach Jim Harbaugh scoffed at the suggestion.
“Way more skill than luck,” Harbaugh said.
Chargers takeaways: Justin Herbert dodges a bullet, team still can’t finish off Chiefs
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Elijah Molden returned to the visiting locker room in Arrowhead Stadium to find congratulatory messages on his phone. The Chargers defensive back didn’t find any reasons to celebrate.
“There’s no such thing as almost,” said Molden, who had an interception negated by a penalty in the Chargers’ 19-17 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
For the second time this season, the Chargers (8-5) were left recounting the mistakes and missed opportunities in a close loss to the Chiefs. The two-time defending Super Bowl champions bounced a 31-yard field goal off the upright and through the goal posts as time expired Sunday to clinch their ninth consecutive AFC West title.
Chargers vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: How to watch, predictions and betting odds
They received blue pin-striped, short-sleeved work shirts complete with embroidered name tags. Navy workman jackets appeared in the lockers of Chargers players. They added heavy duty work boots. To complete the Chargers’ blue-collar mentality, black lunch pails were recently dropped at every locker.
“Stalwart” was printed in bold white letters on the domed lid, a reminder of coach Jim Harbaugh’s message as the Chargers (8-5) push toward the playoffs.
“The culture that he’s trying to build around here,” edge rusher Joey Bosa said, “that we’re hard workers, that we come to work every single day, and it’s not always pretty.”
Coming off a disappointing loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, the Chargers’ fortitude will be tested as they try to rebound against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday (1:25 p.m. PST) at SoFi Stadium.