INGLEWOOD, Calif. – J.K. Dobbins rushed for a 29-yard touchdown with 18 seconds remaining, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 on Sunday night after squandering a 21-point third-quarter lead.
Justin Herbert passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 65 yards as the Chargers (7-3) won their fourth straight. Dobbins ran for two TDs.
Joe Burrow passed for 356 yards and three touchdowns, but the Bengals (4-7) suffered another excruciating loss. They have five defeats by seven points or fewer.
After its offense stalled for most of the second half, Los Angeles went 84 yards on four plays in 26 seconds on the decisive drive. Ladd McConkey, who had six receptions for a career-high 123 yards, had 28- and 27-yard grabs before Dobbins scored his eighth touchdown of the season.
Dobbins also scored from 1 yard out in the second quarter to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 21-6. He finished with 56 yards on 11 carries.
Burrow got Cincinnati to the Chargers 43 in the final seconds with a 27-yard completion, but his final two throws fell incomplete. Derwin James Jr. leaped at the goal line and batted down a Hail Mary headed right for Tee Higgins on the final play.
Higgins had nine receptions for 148 yards and a TD while Ja’Marr Chase had 75 yards on seven catches and two scores.
Kicker Evan McPherson had two chances in the fourth quarter to give the Bengals the lead, but was wide left from 48 and 51 yards.
Herbert completed nine of his first 10 passes but was eight of 26 the rest of the way.
Cincinnati trailed 27-6 in the third quarter but scored on three straight drives in a 13-minute span to tie the game. The first two scores came on fourth-down plays.
Burrow hit Chase on a slant on fourth-and-goal from the LA 4 to get the Bengals within two scores. Higgins — who missed the last three games with a quad injury — then got behind Elijah Molden and Ja’Sir Taylor on fourth-and-2 for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 27-20.
The Bengals tied it at 27-all with 12:21 remaining when Chase hauled in a 17-yard TD.
Burrow was 16 of 30 for 245 yards on his final seven drives.
After McPherson’s 26-yard field goal gave the Bengals a 3-0 lead, the Chargers quickly responded when Herbert connected with Will Dissly for a 29-yard touchdown. It was the longest reception for the tight end since Week 1 in 2022, when he had a 38-yard score for Seattle.
Cincinnati got another field goal before Quentin Johnston caught a 26-yard TD from Herbert to make it 14-6 less than four minutes into the second quarter. It is the sixth touchdown for Johnston and the third straight game he has reached the end zone.
Los Angeles extended its lead to 24-6 at halftime with two scores in the final five minutes. After Dobbins scored on fourth-and-goal, Cameron Dicker hit a 19-yard field goal on the final play of the half.
Injuries
Bengals: CB DJ Turner II left with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. … OT Orlando Brown Jr. missed his third straight game due to knee and leg injuries, and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness) was inactive.
Chargers: CB Cam Hart suffered a concussion in the second half and did not return. LB Denzel Perryman left in the fourth quarter due to a groin injury. … LB Khalil Mack (groin) was inactive. It was the first game Mack has missed since joining the Chargers in 2022.
Up next
Bengals: After a bye, host Pittsburgh on Dec. 1.
Chargers: Host Baltimore on Monday, Nov. 25 in the third matchup between coach Jim Harbaugh and his older brother, John.
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