The Cincinnati Bengals had a great rally to come back from 21 points down to tie Sunday night’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers. It was impressive.
And ultimately meaningless.
The Bengals are in a lot of trouble after their comeback didn’t result in a win. Evan McPherson missed two fourth-quarter field goals, allowing the Chargers to reverse what would have been a massive collapse and win, 34-27, on Sunday night.
Justin Herbert hit two big passes to Ladd McConkey in the final minute to get the Chargers into field-goal range, before J.K. Dobbins took care of things himself by breaking a 29-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left for the win.
The Bengals technically could still win a Super Bowl this season, but they’d probably need to win every game from now through early February to do it. Realistically, we saw the Bengals’ small playoff hopes disappear on Sunday night. The Bengals are 4-7 after the loss. The comeback from trailing 27-6 made for an entertaining game, but for the Bengals it was just another loss.
This defeat might mean the end of their playoff hopes. The Chargers can feel good about their own playoff chances after pulling out a win that they almost gave away. In previous years, the Chargers would have blown that type of game. It’s what they became known for. But Herbert rallied at just the right time and Dobbins closed the door to save an embarrassing loss.
Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins scores the game-winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter in Los Angeles' victory against Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Chargers dominate 1st half
The Chargers had a huge first half. Cincinnati kicked a field goal for a 3-0 lead but the rest of the first half belonged to the Chargers.
Herbert was fantastic in the first half, completing 10 of 14 passes for 183 yards and two touchdowns. One went to Will Dissly and the other to Quentin Johnston. A late drive in the first half resulted in a field goal and the Chargers led 24-6 at the break.
The Bengals were outgained 272-126 before halftime. It looked like Los Angeles was on its way to a one-sided win.
Then the Bengals, with their season hanging in the balance, came alive. Joe Burrow got hot. Touchdown passes to Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins cut Los Angeles’ lead to 27-20. A fumble by Herbert inside Bengals territory gave Cincinnati even more momentum. Burrow escaped a couple of sack attempts on the ensuing drive and hit Chase for another touchdown. Cincinnati was awful in the first half and trailed 27-6 at one point, but scored 21 points in a row for a tie game early in the fourth quarter.
The Bengals were storming back and the Chargers were imploding.
A wild 4th quarter
The Bengals were in position to take a late lead, but McPherson, normally reliable, missed a field goal. The Chargers couldn’t take advantage, with a holding penalty wiping out a first-down pass from Herbert, then a bad miss from Herbert to a wide-open McConkey when they replayed third down.
As the Chargers were letting the Bengals back in the game, Herbert was helping give it to them through his fourth-quarter fumble, the miss to McConkey and the general ineffectiveness of the offense. Los Angeles got just a field goal after halftime as the Bengals had their scoring barrage.
After Herbert missed McConkey, the Bengals had another chance to complete the comeback. They drove into Chargers territory in the final minutes of regulation. Burrow kept hitting huge passes to help get the Bengals into field-goal range. But McPherson missed a 51-yard attempt with less than two minutes to go.
Herbert followed with three straight incompletions and the Chargers punted, giving the Bengals another chance to win the game. Cincinnati punted it right back.
That gave Herbert a chance. He hit two passes to McConkey, one for 28 yards and the other for 27, which seemingly put the Chargers in position for a field goal. But Dobbins broke a long run and jumped into the end zone for the winning score.
There are seven weeks left in the season, and a lot can change in that time, but it seems like we can figure out the seven AFC playoff teams.
The Bills, Chiefs and Texans are big favorites to win their divisions. The Steelers lead the AFC North but the Ravens can’t be counted out, and the team that doesn’t win the division will get a wild card. The Chargers and surprising Broncos look like the other two wild-card teams. Sunday night’s loss puts the Bengals well out of the postseason picture.
The Bengals have been competitive in most of their losses, including a wild comeback to tie Sunday night’s game. Close won’t be good enough for Cincinnati when playoff berths are given out.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
A thrilling win for the Chargers who are now 2 games back of Kansas City in the AFC West
At the two-minute warning, Burrow is 27-for-42 for 329 yards and three touchdown passes with Tee Higgins as the leading receiver with nine catches for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Holding penalty erases 3rd down pass, and Chargers will punt
A tough one for the Chargers to swallow after Justin Herbert hit Joshua Palmer to convert a 3rd and 4 that was called back for a hold on Rashawn Slater. After the punt, the Bengals will take over in their own end with the game still tied and just under 5:30 left in regulation.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Evan McPherson misses from 48 yards
We remain tied at 27 with 7:31 to play, and the Chargers have a chance to break the tie, as their drive will start at the 38-yard-line
Yahoo Sports Staff
Joe Burrow with a 15-yard scamper for a huge 3rd down conversion
It keeps the drive alive and get it to the Chargers' 34-yard-line with eight minutes to play in the fourth quarter
The Chargers offense has been non existent in the second half. After opening the second half with a field goal drive, their three drives since have been 13 plays for 51 yards, with two punts and a fumble. The Bengals have it with just over 11 minutes to go with a chance to take the lead after another J.K. Scott punt.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Make it two touchdowns for Ja'Marr Chase
These two long-time tigers are just inevitable. Tie game in Los Angeles.
Geno Stone recovers the ball, and now the Bengals are in business. Logan Wilson's leg knocked the ball out, and now the Bengals can tie the game on this drive, after trailing 27-6 in the third quarter.
A Burrow to Higgins 💣 on a 4th and 2 for a Touchdown
Cincinnati is right back in the game, with their explosive offense making a giant play. Its 27-20 in the thrid quarter, and the Bengals are squarely in this game.
Cincinnati forces the quick punt. Joseph Ossai got home to sack Justin Herbert, and now the Bengals are knocking on the door of getting back in the game after a poor punt by J.K. Scott.
The lead is cut to two touchdowns, and the Cincy defense will need to step up, but Chase's 11th touchdown of the season gets the Bengals into a more manageable situation midway through the thrid quarter.
Ja'Marr scores the first @Bengals TD of the night!
The action has slowed in the the third quarter, but that doesn't mean the Chargers have stopped scoring. Cameron Dicker's 53-yard field goal has the Chargers up 27-6, and the Cincinnati offense still can't get out of first gear.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Bengals defense opens 2nd half by forcing 3-and-out
The Chargers had scored on each of their last four possessions to end the first half, so Cincinnati got the first little win they needed to try to get back in the game.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Cameron Dicker makes it a 24-6 game at the half
The Chargers got the ball down to the 1-yard-line after a penalty, and with four seconds left chose the field goal, as they'll receive the second half kickoff. It was a thoroughly dominant first half by the Chargers who had 17 first downs and 272 yards, averaging nearly nine yards per play over the first two quarters.
Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins (27) leaps into the end zone to score a rushing touchdown during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Yahoo Sports Staff
Justin Herbert is now up to 59 yards rushing in the first half
Tuli Tuipulotu ends the Cincy drive its another sack
Last week, the Ravens gave up 290 passing yards an 4 touchdown passes to Lamar Jackson. They'll need better than this to keep up with the Chargers offense which has been on fire to start tonight.
Justin Herbert is 6-for-6 for 123 yards and two touchdown passes
The Bengals would be well served to slow down the Chargers passing attack.
Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws a pass during the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 17, 2024, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Yahoo Sports Staff
Justin Herbert is putting on a clinic
This is a crazy good throw. Not just unteachably great arm talent, but the athleticism to make this eye-popping throw is just outrageous.
Chargers hold Bengals to another red zone field goal attempt
Los Angeles has bowed up on D when Cincy has been in the red zone. Evan McPherson convets a 27-yard field goal this time to make the scoer 7-6 in favor of the Chargers. Cincy has been able to mve the ball between the 20s, but the Chargers' secondary has been sticky in coverage once the field gets
Yahoo Sports Staff
Bengals convert on big 4th down to end the first quarter
After the two teams traded timeouts before the play. Joe Burrow found Tee Higgins for the first down to keep the Cincy drive alive as the Bengals look to answer the L.A. touchdown with the second quarter getting started.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Will Dissly on the receiving end of this frozen rope from Justin Herbert
This ball was SPUN by Herbert for the game's first touchdown. 29 yards in the reception and Dissly hayls in his 14th career touchdown.
Herbert finds Dissly up the seam! 29-yard touchdown!
Both teams trade punts on their early drives. Its looks like both sides are feeling each other out early in the first quarter. With these two quarterbacks doing an excellent job protecting the ball this season — Justin Herebet has thrown one interception this season and Joe Burrow has thrown four — both of them getting settled into the game early makes sense, before any big chances are taken by either offense.
Higgins has missed the last three games with a quad injury, but is back for this pivotal trip to L.A. with the 6-3 Chargers ahead of the 4-6 Bengals in a crowded AFC playoff picture. This is Cincinnati's last game against a team currently ahead of them in the AFC wild card chase — they do have two games left against the AFC North leading Steelers — but this a must-win for the Bengals to stay in the hunt for a wild card spot.
