By Tim Peterson
(Inglewood) – The Chargers scored the first ten points of the contest but Washington reeled off the next 27 and LA fell to the Commanders 27-10 Sunday at SoFi Stadium.
The Chargers looked good early as they drove 76 yards on nine plays on their opening possession. A 41-yard run by Justin Herbert set up a two-yard touchdown pass from Herbert to Ladd McConkey. The Chargers took three points off the board when Washington jumped offside on a Cameron Dicker field goal.
After forcing a Washington punt the Chargers marched down into Commanders’ territory again. The drive stalled but Dicker booted a 55-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage with 2:57 left in the first quarter. The Chargers never scored again.
In the second quarter the Chargers were on the move again when Quentin Johnston caught a Herbert pass but fumbled it after being hit and the Commanders took over at their own 26. It turned out to be the turning point.
Washington took advantage of the turnover as it marched 74 yards on nine plays. Jacory Croskey-Merritt got to the edge and raced 15 yards for the touchdown to cut the LA lead to 10-7 with 4:15 left in the second.
With 34 seconds left in the second the Commanders punted from their own endzone and McConkey returned it 57 yards for an apparent touchdown hurdling a Washington defender at the goal line in the process. But a roughing the kicker penalty nullified the score.
Given new life Jayden Daniels led Washington down the field. He hit Luke McCaffrey on a 50-yard strike that led to a 29-yard field goal by Matt Gay with two seconds left. The teams went into the half tied 10-10.
The Commanders picked up where they left off on the first possession of the third quarter. They went 69 yards on seven plays for the score. It was Croskey-Merritt again hitting the corner and finding paydirt from five yards out to give Washington its first lead 17-10.
After another Chargers’ punt the Commanders went to work again. This time their drive stalled but Gay split the uprights from 36 yards out for a 10-point Washington lead.
On the ensuing possession the Chargers were stopped on fourth down on the Washington 39-yard line.
Early in the fourth quarter the Chargers recovered a fumble by Croskey-Merritt on their own 43. The Chargers moved the ball all the way down to the Commanders’ four-yard line but on third and goal Herbert’s pass was tipped and intercepted by Mike Sainristil at the one-yard line to end the threat with 7:44 left.
The Commanders then chewed up over six minutes off the clock as they marched 99 yards and added a touchdown with 1:08 left on an eight-yard pass from Daniels to Deebo Samuel with 1:08 left for the final score.
For Washington Daniels completed 15 of 26 for 231 yards and a touchdown. Croskey-Merritt had 14 carries for 111 yards and two scores.
Herbert went 22 for 29 for 166 yards and a touchdown but also threw the key interception at the goal line. Herbert also led the team in rushing with 44 yards on 12 carries.
The Commanders improved to 3-2 with the victory while the Chargers have lost two straight dropping to 3-2.
WA 00 10 10 07 27
LA 10 00 00 00 10
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