Between their stirring comeback win over the Steelers and four days before their headlining AFC West showdown with the Chiefs, the Chargers encountered the stumbling Bengals, who have won only once since Oct. 7.
The meeting wasn’t easy or pretty. It wasn’t much of anything other than a win, the Chargers’ ninth in 10 games. And, in an NFL December, that’s all that really matters.
“Win the game, that’s what it’s about,” cornerback Casey Hayward said. “If we would have lost, it would have been bad. It’s just about winning these games now no matter who you’re playing.”
The Chargers were big favorites heading into Sunday’s game against the Bengals and they were up 14-3 early in the game, but they had to sweat out some tight moments down the stretch before celebrating their 10th win of the season.
Joe Mixon scored from one yard out to cut Los Angeles’ lead to 23-21 with 1:50 left to play in the game, but Jeff Driskel was sacked on the two-point conversion.
The Bengals have not converted a two-point play since 2015 and missed another in the first half when they were trailing 14-12 after a John Ross touchdown
The ensuing onside kick gave the Chargers a short field they used to extend the lead to 26-21 after working the clock down to 49 second and forcing the Bengals to use their remaining timeouts. A sack by Uchenna Nwosu on Cincinnati’s second play after the kickoff put the final nail in the coffin for the Bengals.
The Chiefs survived a close call of their own on Sunday and that sends both AFC West teams into Thursday’s game off of wins. That means that the Chargers can match the Chiefs’ record if they beat Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium.
Doing so will take a sharper effort and the team may be doubly shorthanded at running back. Melvin Gordon missed his second straight game on Sunday and Austin Ekeler was injured on the onside kick at the end of the game. He was able to walk off the field under his own power.
Ekeler had a strong start and scored the touchdown that put the Chargers up 14-3 one play into the second quarter, but the Bengals defense were able to thwart much of what the home side tried the rest of the way. The Chargers had 150 yards on their first two drives, but picked up just 138 the rest of the way as the Bengals found their way back into the game.
The Bengals have lost five straight games after opening the year with a 5-3 record. It remains to be seen what that turnaround will mean for head coach Marvin Lewis, but it isn’t going to win him too many platitudes from Bengals fans.
The Chargers victory allowed the Bolts to maintain a three-game lead for the conference’s top wild-card spot. Kansas City remained a game up in the division by beating Baltimore 27-24 in overtime.
FINAL: The @Chargers improve to 10-3! #FightForEachOther#CINvsLAC pic.twitter.com/cMQ0NZLOJt
— NFL (@NFL) December 10, 2018