Kevin Seifert
Kris Rhim
Kris Rhim
ESPN
Kris Rhim is a reporter for NFL Nation at ESPN. Kris covers the Los Angeles Chargers, including coach Jim Harbaugh’s franchise-altering first season (https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/41068072/los-angeles-chargers-2024-preview-jim-harbaugh-culture). In Kris’ free time, he lives his NBA dreams at men’s leagues across Los Angeles.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Minnesota Vikings 37-10 on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium.
Four days ago, the Chargers played their worst game of the season. They were embarrassed and beaten down by the Indianapolis Colts in a 38-24 loss at home.
“We looked like s—” a dejected Derwin James Jr. said after that game.
Even before, the Chargers had appeared out of sync. They had lost three of their last four, and their sole win, a 29-27 win over the lifeless 1-6 Miami Dolphins, didn’t sit right with the team.
“We supposed to blow them out,” a frustrated James said then.
Ultimately, the Chargers had looked nothing like the team that began the season 3-0 by sweeping the AFC West.
But the paradigm shifted in a significant way on Thursday night. The Chargers played one of their best games of the season in a pummeling of Minnesota.
Playing in their first full game with tackle Joe Alt since Week 3, the Chargers did whatever they wanted on offense, and their defense shut down the Vikings to avoid their second two-game losing skid this season.
It was a much-needed win for a Chargers team spiraling into irrelevance. The win gives them a chance them to reclaim first place in the AFC West if the Denver Broncos lose on Sunday.
Trend to watch: Justin Herbert’s interceptions.
Herbert’s ability to make throws that few other quarterbacks in the NFL can replicate is what makes him great, but this season, he has also put the ball in harm’s way. He threw his seventh interception of the year on Thursday night. Herbert was backed up against the Chargers’ goal line, rolling to his left, and tried to throw a pass to a smothered Ladd McConkey that was tipped and intercepted. The Vikings scored their first touchdown on the next drive. In this game, where the Chargers dominated, it was a meaningless turnover, but Herbert’s poor decision-making in recent weeks could hurt the Chargers if it continues.
Most surprising performance: Kimani Vidal.
The Chargers’ sixth-round pick in 2024, who was released after the Chargers cut their roster to 53 players, rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries and scored his first career rushing touchdown.
Vidal also had a standout performance against the Dolphins in Week 5, with 124 rushing yards against the league’s worst run defense, but until Thursday night, that game seemed like an anomaly. By dashing a defense that held the Philadelphia Eagles’ Saquon Barkley to just 44 yards and 2.4 rushing yards per carry just last week, Thursday proved Vidal can be a consistent impact player.
Stat to know: Oronde Gadsden II is the first rookie tight end since Mike Ditka in 1961 with 240 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns in a two-game span.
Gadsden, who finished with five catches for 77 yards and a touchdown, has emerged as one of Herbert’s favorite targets and one of the Chargers’ best receiving tight ends in recent memory. A fifth-round rookie, Gadsden had the most receiving yards by a Chargers tight end since Antonio Gates in 2009, last week, when he finished with seven catches for 164 yards and a score. He appears to be headed toward having a significant role in the passing offense this season.
Next game: at Tennessee Titans (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 2)
There is no sugarcoating it. The Vikings played one of their worst games in the four-year Kevin O’Connell era Thursday night, and it left then at a crossroads in a season that is rapidly deteriorating.
It was the second-worst loss in the O’Connell era by point differential. The worst was a 40-3 loss to the Dallas Cowboys in 2022.
Minnesota is now 3-4 and squarely positioned in last place of the NFC North, with the NFL’s most difficult remaining schedule ahead of them. The Chargers, losers in three of their previous four games, dominated them in every phase. The Vikings are ravaged by injuries, which continued to pile up Thursday as tight end Josh Oliver (foot) and cornerback Jeff Okudah (concussion) were added to the list, and are now facing a massive competitive decision.
Will they deem quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) ready to return for their next game, Nov. 2 at the Detroit Lions? And if so, will they stick with him no matter how he plays — knowing their playoff hopes are in the balance?
The Vikings committed to a cash payroll this season of more than $350 million, hoping they could compete for a deep playoff run while developing McCarthy in real time. It doesn’t look good for the former, and now it might be time to find out about the latter.
Most surprising performance: The Chargers gashed the Vikings’ defense in every way imaginable. Some opponents have managed to accumulate yards against them this season, but before Thursday night, the Vikings had at least limited scoring.
They entered the game tied for No. 10 in the NFL with an average of 20 offensive points allowed per game. But they had no answers Thursday night for Justin Herbert, who weaved through their blitzes to rush for 62 yards and also throw 3 touchdowns. The Chargers faced little resistance in amassing a total of 419 yards and 29 first downs.
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What to make of Wentz’s performance: In what might have been his last start for a while, Carson Wentz was clearly in pain throughout the game — largely because of a left shoulder injury suffered October 5 that is still requiring a harness. He also appeared to hit his throwing hand on Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack’s helmet in the first half.
It’s admirable that Wentz kept pushing through, but it was at times tough to watch. Rookie Max Brosmer would have been next in, and the Vikings likely didn’t want to expose him to the mess Wentz was experiencing.
Trend to watch: The Vikings played almost the entire game without their starting tackles, Christian Darrisaw and Brian O’Neill, even though both played had played every snap in Week 7.
O’Neill (right knee) was inactive and Darrisaw (left knee) left after nine snaps and did not return. That left the Vikings to go most of the way with backup Justin Skule at left tackle and third-string tackle Walter Rouse on the right side. It wasn’t a recipe for creating running lanes or protecting the quarterback, and it showed. The Vikings finished with 34 rushing yards and took 5 sacks.
Next game: at Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET, Nov. 2)
