Tarheeb Still’s second interception, a 61-yard pick-six, lifts Chargers over Falcons
ATLANTA — Tarheeb Still’s modest wave toward the stunned crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium wasn’t just a parting shot to the home fans. It was the rookie cornerback saying hello.
The former fifth-round pick grabbed two interceptions, including a pick he returned 61 yards for the deciding touchdown, in the Chargers’ 17-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, leading a clutch defensive performance that overcame a sputtering offense.
Chargers’ defense seals the win as Derwin James snags an interception
Chargers 17, Falcons 13, end of the fourth quarter
The Falcons started at their six-yard line after a penalty on the punt return.
Kirk Cousins passed to Ray-Ray McCloud for 12 yards.
After two runs for 11 yards, Cousins passed to Drake London for seven yards. On third-and-one at the Atlanta 42, the Falcons tried a jet sweep and failed. Ray-Ray McCloud was dropped by Elijah Molden and Daiyan Henley for a loss of two yards.
After the two-minute timeout, the Falcons faced fourth-and-three at their 45-yard line. Kirk Cousins passed the ball for two yards as the pocket collapsed. However, the Chargers were called for holding and the Falcons got a first down.
Cousins tossed three passes for a total of 22 yards before he was sacked for an 11-yard loss and fumbled the ball. The Falcons recovered the ball at the 44-yard line.
On second-and-21 at the Chargers’ 44, Cousins passed to Bijan Robinson for nine yards. The Falcons called timeout with 52 seconds left. On third-and-12, Cousins passed to Drake London but Tarheeb Still stripped the ball at the 13-yard line. On fourth-and-12, the Falcons took their final timeout with 47 seconds left.
Cousins dropped back to pass and Derwin James intercepted the pass to effectively seal the win for the Chargers.
The Chargers took over at their 26 and took a knee. The Falcons called their final timeout and the Chargers finished running out the clock.
Justin Herbert still doesn’t have any open receiving targets, Chargers punt
Chargers 17, Falcons 13, 6:06 left in the fourth quarter
The Chargers started on their 20-yard line.
Gus Edwards ran for 12 yards to open the drive.
Edwards ran for two yards before Justin Herbert was sacked while trying to find an open receiver. On third-and-nine, Herbert passed to Quentin Johnston for four yards.
On fourth-and-three, the Chargers punted and the Falcons were called for holding on the return.
New Charger Marcus Maye intercepts Kirk Cousins pass in the end zone
Chargers 17, Falcons 13, 9:03 left in the fourth quarter
The Falcons got the ball at the Chargers’ 39 after the failed fake punt.
After two short runs, Kirk Cousins passed for 11 yards and eight yards.
On third-and-one at the Chargers’ 12, Derwin James dropped Tyler Allgeier for a one-yard loss.
On fourth-and-two, Cousins passed to Drake London for five yards and the first down.
Cousins pitched to Bijan Robinson for a loss of four yards. On second-and-13, Cousins tossed an incomplete pass. On third-and-13, Cousins tossed a pass into the back of the end zone and it was intercepted by Marcus Maye.
The Chargers just signed Maye this past week after he was cut by the Dolphins to bolster the team’s depleted secondary and the move is already paying off.
Chargers gamble on fake punt and fall short
Chargers 17, Falcons 13, 14:17 left in the fourth quarter
The Chargers started on their 30.
Gus Edwards ran for three yards and Justin Herbert passed to Quentin Johnston for three yards. On third-and-four, Hebert evaded a sack and tossed an incomplete pass.
The Chargers faked a punt, but the pass fell short of a first down and the Falcons took over on the Chargers’ 39.
Chargers limit Falcons to a field goal
Chargers 17, Falcons 13, three seconds left in the third quarter
The Falcons started on their 30-yard line and took an aggressive approach after the pick six.
Kirk Cousins tried to connect on a deep pass to Drake London. Cousins then uncorked a pass to Ray-Ray McCloud for 60 yards.
On first-and-goal at the Chargers’ 10, Bijan Robinson ran for two yards. The Chargers deflected Cousins’ second-down pass. Cousins then tossed the ball past Kyle Pitts and out of the end zone.
Younghoe Koohit a 26-yard field goal to trim the Falcons’ lead.
Tarheeb Still snags pick six, gives Chargers a big energy boost
Chargers 17, Falcons 10, 1:39 left in the third quarter
The Falcons started on their 31 after a punt return.
Bijan Robinson and Kirk Cousins efficiently moved the ball, with Cousins passing to Darnell Mooney for a five-yard pass on fourth-and-one.
On fourth-and-five at the Chargers’ 40, the Falcons went for it and got burned.
Tarheeb Still got his second interception of the game, pouncing on a Cousins pass and returning it 61 yards for a touchdown. Justin Herbert completed a two-point conversion pass to give the Chargers the lead and a jolt of energy during an otherwise difficult third quarter.
Falcons continue to hound Justin Herbert, Chargers punt
Falcons 10, Chargers 9, 5:30 left in the third quarter
The Falcons’ defense is rolling past the Chargers offensive line and giving Justin Herbert fits.
The Chargers’ brutal drive included a two-yard pass by Herbert, a false start penalty, a sack for a seven-yard loss. On third-and-19, Herbert connected with Ladd McConkey for a 12-yard pass.
On fourth-and-seven, the Chargers punted to the Falcons nine-yard line.
Falcons hit field goal, claim the lead
Falcons 10, Chargers 9, 7:28 left in the third quarter
The Falcons started at their 11.
Kirk Cousins passed to Ray-Ray McCloud for 22 yards.
After two incomplete passes, the Chargers were called for pass interference and helped the Falcons extend their drive.
Bijan Robinson ran for four yards and then 14 yards.
Another penalty moved the Falcons to the Chargers’ 33.
The Chargers’ defense increased pressure on Cousin, who tossed an incomplete pass on third-and-five at the Chargers’ 23.
Younghoe Koo hit a 41-yard field goal to reclaim the lead.
Chargers’ drive to open third quarter stalls
Chargers 9, Falcons 7, 13:28 left in the third quarter
The Chargers started at their 30.
Justin Herbert passed to Joshua Palmer for 11 yards, but the Falcons tightened pressure and limited Herbert’s options.
On third-and-10 at the Chargers’ 41, Herbert passed to Quentin Johnston, but Johnston bobbled the ball and it was ruled an incomplete pass.
The Chargers punted to the Falcons’ 11.
Chargers’ defense closes second quarter with a stop
Chargers 9, Falcons 7, end of the second quarter
Kirk Cousins completed a few short passes for the Falcons, but on third-and-nine at the 50-yard line, Cousins he tossed the ball low and it hit the dirt.
The Falcons punted to the Chargers’ 11 with 12 seconds left.
The Chargers took a knee to run out the clock and will get the ball first to start the third quarter.
Chargers can’t punch it in from the red zone, settle for another field goal
Chargers 9, Falcons 7, 58 seconds left in the second quarter
Justin Herbert methodically moved the Chargers up field on a drive that spanned 17 plays and 68 yards, but he continues to struggle to find open receiving targets in the red zone.
On third-and-eight on the Atlanta 29 after the two-minute timeout, Herbert found McConkey for a 13-yard gain.
And then the drive stalled.
Herbert scrambled for no gain. After a timeout, Herbert tossed an incomplete pass. On third-and-10 at the Falcons’ 16, Chargers’ pass to the end zone fell incomplete.
Cameron Dicker hit a 34-yard field goal.
Derwin James blows up Falcons’ latest drive
Falcons 7, Chargers 6, 8:59 left in the second quarter
The Falcons started on their 35 after the touchback.
On third-and-one, Derwin James burst through and dropped Drake London for a loss of three yards.
Atlanta punted to the Chargers’ 21-yard line.
Cameron Dicker hits another field goal
Falcons 7, Chargers 6, 13:00 left in the second quarter
The Chargers started on their 34-yard line after the interception.
Justin Herbert was steadily moving the offense up field, tossing a 20-yard pass to Ladd McConkey.
On third-and-six at the Atlanta 31, the pocket quickly collapsed and Herbert was sacked for a loss of two yards.
Cameron Dicker came through with a 51-yard field goal to close the drive.
Chargers’ Tarheeb Still snags an interception
Falcons 7, Chargers 3, 14:52 left in the second quarter
The Falcons started on their 30 after the touchback.
Kirk Cousins passed to Bijan Robinson for 11 yards and Robinson carried the ball two more times for 13 yards, moving the ball to the Chargers 46 before time expired in the first quarter.
After the end of first quarter timeout, Cousins’ deep pass was intercepted by Tarheeb Still and returned five yards to the Chargers’ 34-yard line.
Justin Herbert connects on a long pass play, but Chargers are limited to a field goal
Falcons 7, Chargers 3, 1:39 left in the first quarter
Justin Herbert passed to Ladd McConkey for 49 yards. He fumbled, but the Chargers recovered at the Falcons’ 20.
Two players later, Herbert was sacked and tossed an incomplete pass on third down.
Cameron Dicker lined up and hit a 45-yard field goal to trim the Falcons’ lead.
Falcons turn Chargers fumble into a touchdown
Falcons 7, Chargers 0, 4:03 left in the first quarter
After the Chargers fumble, the Falcons took over the Los Angeles 29 and made the most of their opportunity.
Kirk Cousins tossed a 17-yard pass, the Chargers were called for holding and Bijan Robinson carried the ball four times for eight yards and a touchdown.
Younghoe Koo hit the extra point.
Hassan Haskins fumbles and Falcons recover
Chargers 0, Falcons 0, 7:07 left in the first quarter
The Chargers started at their 25 and were the benificary of a Falcons neutral-zone infraction.
On third-and-one, Hassan Haskins took a handoff and appeared to lose control of the ball before he was touched. Atlanta recovered the ball at the Chargers’ 34 and returned it five yards.
The Chargers were called for illegal formation on the turnover play, but the Falcons declined the penalty and took possession of the ball.
It was the Chargers’ sixth turnover so far this season.
Falcons miss a field goal
Chargers 0, Falcons 0, 8:37 left in the first quarter
The Chargers defense bent quite a bit, but didn’t break on the opening drive.
Kirk Cousins led the Falcons on a 14-play 53-yard drive, but a pass that grazed the turf at the three-yard line third down forced Atlanta to settle for a field-goal attempt.
Younghoe Koo, who has been struggling, missed a 35-yard field goal. Koo has now hit just four of his past 10 field-goal attempts.
Cousins was 4 of 5 passing for 23 yards on the drive, while Bijan Robinson ran for 24 yards on five carries.
And we’re off ...
Chargers 0, Falcons 0, 15:00 left in the first quarter
The Falcons won the toss and elected to receive.
Cameron Dicker kicked the ball into the end zone for a touchback.
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.
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.
Unbreakable: How MMA training forged a bond between Derwin James Jr. and Daiyan Henley
Plays go awry. Opponents score touchdowns. The Chargers even can lose a close game, but through every on-field adversity, Derwin James Jr. calmly looks at Daiyan Henley and reminds the second-year linebacker that they’ve conquered more difficult things together.
They think about the mixed martial arts workouts at a West Hollywood gym where they grappled, wrestled and tackled until their lungs burned and muscles ached.
Chargers’ Justin Herbert takes abuse like Shaq did on Lakers, but dishes it out too
Justin Herbert has been twisted down by his ankle. He was spun down late after his pass was well downfield. He was driven into the ground by 272-pound Myles Garrett.
Herbert has gotten up each time with no protest.
Hernández: If Justin Herbert is ‘incredible’ what does that say about the rest of the Chargers?
He was sacked four times and under constant siege.
His leading rusher was injured.
Chargers will be without running back J.K. Dobbins for at least a week
Running back J.K. Dobbins will “miss some time” with a left knee injury suffered in Monday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said Wednesday, but the team’s top rusher who suffered a gruesome knee injury in 2021 appears to have avoided another long-term setback.
The running back suffered a sprained medial collateral ligament, according to ESPN, which reported Dobbins is expected to miss at least Sunday’s game against the Atlanta Falcons. When asked whether he expected the 25-year-old former Ohio State star to be sidelined long term or be headed for injured reserve, Harbaugh, who rarely discusses injuries, said he didn’t know.
Harbaugh Bowl III: Brotherly love and another win for John’s Ravens
As the seconds ticked down on Monday night’s victory over the Chargers, Baltimore Ravens coach John Harbaugh wanted to remind his defense to block out the noise and distractions and not jump offside.
He repeatedly tapped his cupped hands to the sides of his head as if putting on imaginary earmuffs.
Chargers takeaways: How big of a missed opportunity is loss to the Ravens?
In the thick of a playoff race, the Chargers have the attention of four prime-time games in six weeks. Now it’s a matter of what they can do in the spotlight.
A 30-23 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Monday pumped the brakes on the team’s rapid rise under coach Jim Harbaugh. Instead of loud music and joyous laughter, the team’s locker room was mostly silent as players emptied their lockers, got dressed and shuffled out as quickly as possible.
Chargers vs. Atlanta Falcons: How to watch, predictions and betting odds
The Baltimore Ravens tested the Chargers’ running defense. This week, the passing defense could be under attack.
The Chargers, who gave up a season-high 212 yards rushing to the Ravens last week, will face the Atlanta Falcons’ fifth-ranked passing offense on Sunday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.