NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A pick-6 on the Los Angeles Chargers' second offensive play of the game. Then Justin Herbert lost his right tackle to injury later in the first quarter followed by left tackle Joe Alt carted off the field in the second.
With the Tennessee Titans sacking Herbert a season-high six times, Sunday's game featured enough excuses to let a victory slip away.
Herbert shook all that off by throwing for 250 yards and two touchdowns, and he ran for another score and the Chargers beat the woeful Titans 27-20 Sunday for their third win in four games.
“There’s no other ways I think that he can impress, you know?" Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said of Herbert. "But then every time I think that, then he finds a way to, you know, it’s like another rung on the ladder of esteem. Yeah, he’s that guy. He’s that competitor.”
Herbert came in leading the NFL with 2,140 yards passing. He was 19 of 29 passing for a 101.2 passer rating, and he also led the Chargers with 57 yards rushing. Herbert said the early pick-6 was tough.
“But it happened early,” Herbert said. “And I thought we did a good job weathering the storm, and it was a weird, kind of a different game for us. A lot of uncharacteristic things, but I think there’s going to be a lot of good learning from it and as long as guys hang in there, there’s time and downs, I think we got a shot.”
Odafe Oweh had two of Los Angeles' four sacks.
The Chargers (6-3) took control midway through the third quarter, stopping the Titans and running back Tony Pollard on back-to-back plays at the 1 to protect a 20-17 lead.
Herbert then drove the Chargers 99 yards over 15 plays chewing up 9 minutes, 3 seconds off the clock. Herbert scored himself, running into the end zone for a 1-yard TD celebrating a 27-17 lead with a baseball slide.
“It’s a huge testament to the offensive line getting that push and being able to move the ball, especially backed up like that,” Herbert said. “I thought that was a pivotal moment for us.”
After Joey Slye's second field goal pulled the Titans within 27-20 with 4:19 left, Herbert helped the Chargers play keep-away to finish off the win. Herbert finished with a team-high 57 yards rushing.
The Titans (1-8) lost their fourth straight and third under interim coach Mike McCoy in his first game against the franchise he coached in San Diego between 2013 and 2016. McCoy said the Titans beat themselves with seven penalties for 60 yards all in the first half.
“The big turning point obviously is getting stopped on the 1-yard line, then a big drive go down there and score so that's the difference,” McCoy said. "It’s frustrating to look at it because of the missed opportunities that we had early.”
Tennessee sacked Herbert six times led by Jihad Ward who had 2 1/2. The Titans played without four defensive starters with cornerback L'Jarius Sneed on injured reserve and tackle Jeffery Simmons, outside linebacker Arden Key and safety Xavier Woods all sidelined by injuries.
Linebacker Cody Barton had a pick-6 off Herbert, stepping in front of Keenan Allen on the Chargers' second offensive play for a 24-yard interception return for the Titans' first defensive score this season.
Rookie Chimere Dike, who came in leading the NFL in all-purpose yards, returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown giving Tennessee a 14-7 lead late in the first quarter. That gave the Titans two TDs on defense and special teams for the first time since Dec. 30, 2012, when they had four against the Jaguars.
The Chargers outgained the Titans 343-206 on offense. Titans rookie Cam Ward threw for 145 yards and snapped a six-game streak with an interception.
Chargers right tackle Bobby Hurt hurt a groin in the first quarter, and Alt reinjured his right ankle. Neither returned. Harbaugh didn't have an update on Alt's condition but said, “Feel bad for him.”
Chargers DL Jamaree Caldwell was hurt on the goal-line stand.
The Chargers host Pittsburgh on Nov. 9.
The Titans have the NFL trade deadline, their bye and then host Houston on Nov. 16.
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