The Los Angeles Chargers defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 in Week 11 Sunday Night Football at SoFi Stadium on November 17, 2024. J.K. Dobbins sprinted 29 yards down the left sideline with 18 seconds remaining for the game-winning touchdown. Joe Burrow threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns while Justin Herbert countered with 297 passing yards and two scores. Tee Higgins caught nine passes for 148 yards in his return from injury, and rookie Ladd McConkey posted 123 yards for the Chargers. Cincinnati erased a 27-6 deficit to tie the game before Los Angeles marched 84 yards in four plays for the winning score.
Table of Contents
Quarterback Comparison
| Player | Team | Comp/Att | Yards | TD | INT | Sacks | QBR | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joe Burrow | CIN | 28/50 | 356 | 3 | 0 | 3-14 | 80.2 | 98.4 |
| Justin Herbert | LAC | 17/36 | 297 | 2 | 0 | 2-17 | 44.2 | 94.3 |
Burrow took three sacks and completed 56 percent of his passes against the league’s top-ranked scoring defense. He attempted 50 throws as Cincinnati fought back from three scores down in the second half. Herbert started hot, completing nine of his first 10 attempts before cooling off to eight of 26 the rest of the night. His final two throws mattered most, finding McConkey for 28 and 27 yards on the game-winning drive.
Herbert also led all rushers with 65 yards on five carries. His scrambling extended several drives in the second half, even as the Chargers offense stalled on five straight possessions.
Ground Attack Breakdown
| Player | Team | Carries | Yards | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | CIN | 22 | 86 | 3.9 | 0 | 27 |
| Justin Herbert | LAC | 5 | 65 | 13.0 | 0 | 30 |
| J.K. Dobbins | LAC | 11 | 56 | 5.1 | 2 | 29 |
| Gus Edwards | LAC | 6 | 27 | 4.5 | 0 | 9 |
| Joe Burrow | CIN | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
Brown carried Cincinnati’s rushing attack with 22 touches for 86 yards. His 27-yard burst in the third quarter drove the Bengals deep into Los Angeles territory. The drive ended with a touchdown that cut the deficit to 27-13. Dobbins converted a critical fourth-and-goal from the 1-yard line in the second quarter, powering through for his first touchdown before his winning score on the final drive.
Los Angeles averaged 6.2 yards per carry compared to Cincinnati’s 4.4 on 25 attempts each. That two-yard gap per rush gave the Chargers an extra first down nearly every three carries, helping control possession during critical stretches.
Pass Catchers Performance
| Player | Team | Rec | Yards | Avg | TD | Long | Targets |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tee Higgins | CIN | 9 | 148 | 16.4 | 1 | 42 | 13 |
| Ladd McConkey | LAC | 6 | 123 | 20.5 | 0 | 28 | 9 |
| Will Dissly | LAC | 4 | 80 | 20.0 | 1 | 29 | 6 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | CIN | 7 | 75 | 10.7 | 2 | 32 | 13 |
| Chase Brown | CIN | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 0 | 34 | 7 |
| Quentin Johnston | LAC | 2 | 48 | 24.0 | 1 | 26 | 8 |
| Andrei Iosivas | CIN | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 0 | 27 | 3 |
Higgins missed three games with a quad injury before returning Sunday night as Burrow’s primary option. He caught nine balls on 13 targets for 148 yards, converting six first downs. His 42-yard touchdown on fourth-and-2 late in the third quarter brought Cincinnati within 27-20 and gave the Bengals life after trailing by three touchdowns.
McConkey became Herbert’s security blanket in his ninth NFL game. The rookie receiver hauled in six catches for 123 yards. His two critical grabs on the winning drive moved the Chargers from their own 16 to the Cincinnati 29 in just two plays. Pro Football Reference data confirmed McConkey’s career-high receiving total.
Chase reached 1,000 receiving yards for the season on his first catch, a 32-yard gain in the opening quarter. He became just the sixth player in NFL history to hit 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons, joining Randy Moss, A.J. Green, Mike Evans, Michael Thomas, and Justin Jefferson. Both of his touchdown receptions came on fourth-down conversions, catching a 4-yard throw and a 17-yard pass from Burrow. His earlier performance against Baltimore, when he totaled 264 yards and three touchdowns, showed his ability to dominate elite secondaries in high-stakes AFC matchups.
Defensive Production
| Player | Team | Tackles | Solo | Sacks | TFL | PD | QB Hits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daiyan Henley | LAC | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Derwin James Jr. | LAC | 10 | 7 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Geno Stone | CIN | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germaine Pratt | CIN | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Logan Wilson | CIN | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Hilton | CIN | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | LAC | 4 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Joseph Ossai | CIN | 3 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Trey Hendrickson | CIN | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Henley finished with a game-high 11 tackles, covering sideline to sideline for the Chargers. His third-down pressure on Burrow with 86 seconds remaining forced an incompletion, bringing up the punt that gave Herbert his final chance. Tuipulotu harassed Burrow all night with 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits. Los Angeles forced three three-and-outs and held Cincinnati to five conversions on 17 third-down attempts.
Stone recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter after Wilson’s knee knocked the ball loose from Herbert near midfield. The Bengals’ official recap noted it was Stone’s first fumble recovery with Cincinnati and Wilson’s first forced fumble of 2024. That turnover set up Chase’s 17-yard touchdown catch that tied the game at 27 with 12:21 left.
Kicking Game Results
| Player | Team | FG Made/Att | Long | XP Made/Att | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evan McPherson | CIN | 2/4 | 27 | 3/3 | 9 |
| Cameron Dicker | LAC | 2/2 | 53 | 4/4 | 10 |
McPherson missed two makeable field goals in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 27. His 48-yard attempt sailed wide left, followed by another miss from 51 yards. Both kicks had the distance but drifted left of the uprights. The veteran kicker, clutch during Cincinnati’s 2021 season Super Bowl run, couldn’t deliver when his team needed points most.
Dicker connected on both attempts, including a 53-yarder in the third quarter that extended the Chargers’ lead to 27-6. His perfect night kept Los Angeles ahead through five consecutive offensive drives without a touchdown. Ryan Rehkow averaged 50.0 yards on five punts for Cincinnati while JK Scott averaged 46.7 yards on six punts for the Chargers.
Overall Team Stats
| Category | Bengals | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 452 | 435 |
| First Downs | 24 | 24 |
| Third Down % | 29.4% (5/17) | 27.3% (3/11) |
| Fourth Down % | 100% (3/3) | 100% (1/1) |
| Red Zone % | 50% (2/4) | 50% (1/2) |
| Time of Possession | 34:08 | 25:52 |
| Penalties | 8-56 | 5-50 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Cincinnati held the ball for over eight minutes longer and gained 17 more yards than Los Angeles. The Bengals converted all three fourth-down tries, with two becoming touchdowns. Burrow hit Chase on fourth-and-goal from the 4 and connected with Higgins on fourth-and-2 for the 42-yard score. Herbert’s fumble in the fourth quarter gave Cincinnati possession at their own 29, but it came after the Chargers had already built their 21-point cushion.
First Half Dominance
Los Angeles controlled the opening 30 minutes, building a 24-6 halftime advantage. Herbert threw for 183 yards in the first half with a 153.3 passer rating, spreading the ball to nine different receivers. The Chargers scored on three straight possessions, covering 70, 71, and 66 yards. Herbert found Dissly for a 29-yard touchdown on a wheel route before hitting Johnston for a 26-yard score. Dobbins powered in from the 1 on fourth down to make it 21-6, then Dicker nailed a 19-yard field goal as time expired in the second quarter.
Cincinnati managed just 126 total yards before halftime compared to Los Angeles’ 272. The Bengals reached the red zone twice but settled for short field goals of 26 and 27 yards from McPherson.
Second Half Surge
The Chargers pushed their lead to 27-6 early in the third quarter on Dicker’s 53-yard field goal. Cincinnati’s offense finally broke through moments later. Burrow hit Chase on fourth-and-goal for a 4-yard touchdown, cutting it to 27-13. The momentum shifted completely when Higgins got behind the secondary on fourth-and-2, hauling in the 42-yard touchdown that made it 27-20.
Chase’s 17-yard touchdown reception with 12:21 remaining tied the game at 27 after Wilson’s forced fumble gave Cincinnati excellent field position. Both offenses stalled over the next 10 minutes. McPherson’s two missed field goals kept the score tied. Herbert threw three straight incompletions on one possession as the Chargers went three-and-out.
Final Drive Drama
Herbert took over at his own 16 with 1:49 remaining and the score deadlocked at 27. He hit McConkey over the middle for 28 yards on first down. After an incompletion, Herbert found McConkey again for 27 yards to the Cincinnati 29. Dobbins took the next handoff, found a crease on the left side, and raced untouched to the end zone with 18 seconds showing on the clock.
Burrow got one last chance with a single timeout. He completed a 27-yard pass to Iosivas, reaching the Chargers’ 43-yard line. His next two throws fell incomplete. James leaped at the goal line and batted down a Hail Mary intended for Higgins on the game’s final play.
Playoff Race Impact
The victory improved Los Angeles to 7-3, matching their best start since 2018. The Chargers’ official recap confirmed the team moved into the AFC’s No. 5 seed as the top Wild Card after Baltimore lost earlier that day. Jim Harbaugh’s squad won their fourth straight game despite allowing a season-high 27 points.
Cincinnati fell to 4-7, marking their fifth loss by seven points or fewer. The Bengals faced an uphill climb to reach the playoffs, needing to win most of their remaining games. Coach Zac Taylor’s team entered a bye week after another close defeat.
Clutch Performance Under Pressure
Herbert’s ability to deliver in critical moments separated this game from earlier performances. While he threw for fewer yards than his 349-yard effort against Arizona in Week 7, that game ended in a last-second loss on a missed field goal. This time, Herbert put the ball in his playmakers’ hands when the game was on the line, completing back-to-back clutch throws to McConkey that set up the winning score. Those final 1:49 separated a quarterback who puts up big numbers from one who wins close games.
Breaking Down the Efficiency
Herbert’s success when targeting his top three receivers kept the Chargers alive through their second-half struggles. He completed 69.2 percent of his passes to Dissly, McConkey, and Johnston. Those three combined for 12 catches on 23 targets for 251 yards and two touchdowns. When the offense needed conversions, Herbert trusted his top targets.
Burrow’s fourth-down accuracy nearly stole the victory for Cincinnati. He went 3 for 3 on fourth-down throws for 63 yards and two touchdowns, showcasing his ability to extend plays and find open receivers when facing elimination downs. His precision in those critical situations brought the Bengals back from a 21-point deficit.
Los Angeles forced a three-and-out on Cincinnati’s opening drive of the second half, creating negative yardage. Combined with Dicker’s 53-yard field goal, the Chargers reached their largest lead at 27-6. Cincinnati then outscored Los Angeles 21-7 until Dobbins’ winning touchdown run.
A crowd of 70,240 at SoFi Stadium watched the game come down to the final snap. ESPN’s box score documented every detail from the Sunday Night Football matchup between these AFC contenders. The Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Chargers match player stats captured a thriller that shifted momentum multiple times before the Chargers executed when it mattered most.
