INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh waved his hands to say not a catch while Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell talked into an official’s ear to argue otherwise. In reality, neither coach likely had a clue as to whether Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers had control of Justin Herbert’s first pass attempt, which he took to the end zone before the SoFi Stadium video board control room rushed to find an angle that would benefit the home team.
Four days after tight end T.J. Hockenson was livid about his overturned fourth-quarter touchdown catch that would have made a difference in the loss against the Eagles, there were the Vikings again hoping the complex catch rules would go in their favor. It was only three minutes into Thursday night’s game, but it was a pivotal decision for two wounded, desperate teams in need of a break.
The Chargers caught the break after the officials said Rodgers didn’t maintain possession. Herbert’s interception disappeared and the star quarterback quickly went to work to make the most of the much-needed opportunity, eventually giving the Chargers a 37–10 victory to improve the team’s record to 5–3 and keep pace with the Chiefs (4–3) and Broncos (5–2) in the competitive AFC West.
Herbert was sensational after briefly being fooled by one of Brian Flores’s well-designed pressure packages. It was the kind of game where Harbaugh didn’t mind if his quarterback did the bulk of the work. Star safety Derwin James, right tackle Mekhi Becton and safety Tony Jefferson all sustained injuries early in the game. The running game again lagged for a team missing its two top running backs, Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris. (It eventually picked up in the second half.) Herbert needs to remember to slide when taking off, but boy, he knows how to throw a pretty ball.
Herbert, who went 18-of-25 for 227 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, picked apart the Minnesota defense with emerging rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II (five catches, 77 yards, TD) and dynamic second-year wide receiver Ladd McConkey (six catches, 88 yards, TD). It went from the Chargers seemingly being down a touchdown early to heading into halftime with a 21–3 advantage. It might have been a lucky break because there didn’t appear to be clear video evidence of Rodgers not catching the interception—expect the Vikings to be livid again about another touchdown being overturned. But the Chargers aren’t feeling sorry for their rivals, not when they’ve been decimated by injuries, enduring a rough 1–3 stretch after starting the season with three consecutive wins.
Expect the Chargers’ bandwagon to fill up again, because the team that began 3–0 might be all the way back. Joe Alt’s return to play left tackle gave the offensive line some stability, even amid the shuffling that occurred during Thursday’s game.
The defense is back to top form with Khalil Mack and Denzel Perryman back on the field. The short-handed defense was gashed on the ground by the Giants, Commanders, Dolphins and Colts in four consecutive weeks. On Thursday night, L.A.’s defense allowed only nine rushing yards and four first downs in the first half against Minnesota. Overall, the Chargers held Minnesota to 164 total yards and sacked Carson Wentz five times.
Harbaugh likely doesn’t want Herbert to continue leading the league in completions and pass attempts. Still, he might not have a choice until the injuries stop on the offensive line, in the backfield and in the secondary. But Harbaugh often talks about wanting to get Herbert into the Hall of Fame. Well, kick back and let Herbert carry the Chargers into the postseason.
The great ones make the best out of bad situations. And for whatever reason, the football public tends to forget about Herbert whenever the Chargers are having a few rough weeks. Herbert didn’t stop being great when he threw for 420 yards in the loss against the Colts last week. He also had a game-winning drive against the Dolphins in Week 5.
People just stopped paying attention because the Chargers dropped three of four games. That comes with the territory, but these Chargers are must-watch TV because of Herbert and need to be taken seriously. The Broncos have the spotlight because they’re leading the AFC West, and the Chiefs are viewed as the best team in the conference after shaking off a slow start to the season. But the Chargers have already beaten both of those teams.
Highs and lows happen for every team over the course of a season. Sometimes all a team needs is a break to make it to the other side. The Chargers caught their break three minutes into Thursday’s matchup and might never look back, especially if Herbert continues to be great.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How a Pivotal Call Reversal Changed the Chargers’ Fortunes for the Better.