Up-and-down Chargers hold off Bengals for 41-22 victory
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CINCINNATI — Justin Herbert passed for three touchdowns, and Tevaughn Campbell returned a Joe Mixon fumble 61 yards for a score, helping the Los Angeles Chargers hold off Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals for a 41-22 victory on Sunday.
Herbert was 26 of 35 for 317 yards as Los Angeles (7-5) bounced back nicely after losing 28-13 at Denver last weekend. Mike Williams had five receptions for 110 yards, and Keenan Allen caught two of Herbert’s TD passes.
Cincinnati (7-5) stormed back after falling behind 24-0 in the second quarter. Mixon’s 7-yard scoring run made it 24-22 with 7 minutes, 10 seconds left in the third. But Mixon was stuffed on the 2-point conversion try, and Campbell’s fumble return in the fourth helped close it out for Los Angeles.
The Bengals committed four of the game’s seven turnovers. Battling a hand injury for much of the day, Burrow threw two interceptions and lost a fumble.
After Campbell’s TD, Los Angeles forced Cincinnati to punt. Herbert the directed a four-play, 52-yard drive capped by a 1-yard touchdown run for Austin Ekeler.
The Bengals still had time, but Burrow was intercepted in the end zone by Chris Harris Jr. with 8:07 left. Cincinnati got the ball back again, but Burrow threw short to Tee Higgins on fourth-and-5.
Even after defensive end Joey Bosa went out with a possible concussion, the Chargers’ usually terrible run defense bottled up Mixon, who rushed for 54 yards after recording back-to-back 100-yard games.
Burrow was 24 for 40 for 300 yards. He was sacked six times. Tee Higgins had nine receptions for 138 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown for Cincinnati’s first score of the game.
Allen helped key Los Angeles’ fast start, scoring twice in the first quarter on a 4-yard reception and a 7-yarder. Herbert’s 44-yard TD to Jaylen Guyton made it 24-0 early in the second quarter.