Chargers takeaways: Is dramatic win over Bengals a sign of 'magic'?

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During a 34-27 win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium, Chargers players soaked up loud chants of “Let’s go Chargers!” Quarterback Justin Herbert was even serenaded with chants of “M-V-P!”

The crowd for Sunday’s prime-time game wasn’t just the Chargers’ loudest home-field advantage of the season, offensive lineman Rashawn Slater estimated. It was the best home crowd of the 2021 first-round draft pick’s career with the franchise. Slater called the growing enthusiasm around the team “pretty special.”

When reminded of things like the four-game winning streak the Chargers (7-3) are on typically helps with such fan interest, Slater nodded.

“No doubt,” Slater said. “Let’s keep doing it.”

Coach Jim Harbaugh, who issued a public, unsolicited plea for fan support last week before the game, agreed with the team captain with respect to the team’s direction both on the field and in the stands.

“This week was better than the last week and hopefully next week will be even better,” the coach said of the fan support, looking ahead to a second consecutive prime-time game against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday. “We just want to put the kind of football out there that people get excited about.”

Here are three takeaways from the Chargers’ win:

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Turn the worm

Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins is mobbed by teammates after his 29-yard game-winning touchdown run.

Derwin James Jr. caught confused glances from reporters when he dropped one of Harbaugh’s favorite catchphrases into his postgame interview.

“We’re trying to turn the worm around here,” James said.

The phrase, which references how quickly fortunes can change, feels like one of the most fitting “Harbaughisms” for a team trying to shed its history as crunch-time losers.

The Chargers won their first game this season in which they were tied or trailing in the fourth quarter. They previously lost to the Steelers and Chiefs after both games were tied 10-10 entering the fourth quarter. They lost 17-15 to the Cardinals in Week 7, giving up the game-winning field goal in the final seconds.

This season’s late-game struggles seemed to only reinforce last year’s pattern of seven consecutive losses in games decided by three or fewer points. But the sight of running back J.K. Dobbins sprinting into the end zone with 18 seconds left was almost enough to make the previous disappointments disappear.

“We don’t talk about the past, but there is magic going on, for sure,” Dobbins said. “Coach Jim Harbaugh, he’s a magical guy.”

Harbaugh is known for creating winning cultures at each of his previous stops. The magic ingredient may be his confidence, a word players often use to describe their quirky head coach. It has rubbed off on everyone in the organization.

“Before, it was just a feeling of, ‘Oh, man, we’re going to do something wrong and end up throwing the game,’” edge rusher Joey Bosa said. “I just think it’s important to believe and know that someone is going to make a play to win the game, whoever it is. Blowing them out would have been nice, but I think it’s important for our team to pull off one like this.”

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Justin Herbert finds his play-makers

Chargers tight end Will Dissly is spun in the air after a reception on the tackle of Bengals cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt.

When Will Dissly signed with the Chargers, the tight end was coveted for his physical blocking that would help set the perfect tone under Harbaugh. What the Chargers didn’t anticipate was just how large of a role he could play in the passing game.

With four catches for 80 yards and one touchdown Sunday, Dissly has already set career highs in receptions (37) and receiving yards (352). He is second on the team in catches and fourth in yards, just two yards behind receiver Quentin Johnston.

“He’s sneaky good in the passing game,” offensive coordinator Greg Roman said of Dissly this week.

Roman admitted he didn’t expect Dissly to establish such a strong connection with Herbert so quickly. The coach credited Dissly’s feel for the game. A two-way star player in high school when he was named Montana’s Gatorade player of the year as a senior, Dissly began his college career as a defensive lineman at Washington before transitioning to tight end. He brings the same versatility to his sole offensive position for the Chargers.

“We ask him to catch passes, run block, pass block and he’s able to do everything,” Herbert said.

Herbert also makes it easy for his receivers. Comparing the quarterback to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, Dissly said: “When Kobe passes you the ball, you better make that shot and give him an assist.”

The quarterback spread the ball well among his teammates Sunday. Along with Dissly, Ladd McConkey reached a career high with a team-best 123 yards receiving on six catches. It was the rookie’s second 100-yard performance and the most for a Chargers rookie in a game since 2013.

On the game-winning drive, McConkey made two standout plays. He hauled in an acrobatic 28-yard catch over a defender, followed by a 27-yard reception that pushed the Chargers into Bengals territory.

“We’ve got play-makers all around,” McConkey said. “So just get the ball in their hands and let them go to work.”

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Bent but not broken

The Chargers didn’t live up to their statistical reputation as the NFL’s best scoring defense against the Bengals. They surrendered 27 points, more than double their league-leading average of 13.1 points per game, along with a season-high 425 yards.

However, the most important stat should be the Chargers’ fourth consecutive win. The Chargers bent. They came dangerously close to breaking at times. Yet they remained firm against the Bengals’ dangerous offense, holding Cincinnati to five of 17 on third down tries and forcing field goals on two first-half red zone drives that helped tilt the game early.

“It’s always big whenever you hold the offense to three instead of seven because it just gives us momentum,” said cornerback Kristian Fulton, who had two tackles and three pass breakups in a return from a two-game absence. “It’s huge because one more play can mean them not scoring at all.”

The Bengals capitalized on the Chargers’ offensive swoon during the third quarter to score 21 consecutive points, but never took the lead against the clutch defense that kept giving Herbert chances to find the winning score.

The Chargers stood tall during 10- and nine-play drives to force long field goals. Bengals kicker Evan McPherson missed from 48 and 51 yards, but the Chargers went three-and-out on offense both times.

The defense came through again in the final two minutes. After allowing a first-down run, the Chargers forced three straight incompletions, forcing the Bengals to punt with 45 seconds remaining. The Chargers scored four plays later.

“Every week, we’ve got to be at our best when our best is needed, and that’s what we did today,” Fulton said. “That’s just what it’s going to take — being at your best. This is the NFL; every game’s going to be close.”