INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Justin Herbert didn’t throw a touchdown pass for the first time in 27 games. For once, it didn’t matter, thanks to the Los Angeles Chargers’ special teams.
Dustin Hopkins kicked four field goals, including a 39-yarder with 2:38 remaining in overtime, and the Chargers rallied for a 19-16 victory over the Denver Broncos.
Hopkins, who injured a hamstring during the first half, grimaced as he kicked the ball and fell to the ground before being picked up by teammates. The ninth-year kicker was inactive for last week’s game against Cleveland due to a quadriceps injury.
Hopkins’ heroics were set up when Deane Leonard recovered a muffed punt at the Denver 28-yard line.
Herbert, who is still recovering from fractured rib cartilage from a hit one month ago, appreciated Hopkins being able to gut it out.
“We’ve got so much respect for him. For him to go out there and play and put up with some pain like that, it was great to see,” said Herbert, whose 57 attempts without a TD pass is an NFL record in a win.
Coach Brandon Staley said Hopkins’ hamstring kind of cramped up early, but started to loosen up during the second half.
“You can’t say enough about him hanging in there,” Staley said. “At the end we had no choice. We were going to kick no matter what.”
Hopkins has five games with four or more field goals. It is also the first OT game-winner of his career.
“I was trying to focus on a little backswing and just get through the ball. And that was it,” Hopkins said. “I wasn’t thinking about the circumstance or anything like that.”
The Chargers have won three straight to improve to 4-2. They are tied with Kansas City atop the AFC West. It is the first time in franchise history they have rallied from a double-digit deficit at the end of the first quarter to win.
Los Angeles was down 14-3 at the end of the first quarter last Sunday in Cleveland before pulling out a 30-28 win.
This game appeared to be headed toward a tie until Denver’s Montrell Washington muffed JK Scott’s punt at the Broncos 32-yard line. It was recovered by Deane Leonard at the 28.
Washington called for a fair catch, but Denver safety P.J. Locke didn’t hear Washington and tried to block Ja’Sir Taylor when Locke bumped into Washington.
“I just saw the returner running up, he was kind of relaxed, and then his teammate was just standing there,” Taylor said. “At first, if you go back, I paused a little bit, and then it just clicked in my head like, ‘Oh, just throw him onto the returner.’ And it happened, and the ball came out.”
Herbert, who completed 37 of 57 for 238 yards and an interception, passed to Mike Williams for 9 yards on third-and-12 from the Denver 30 to get Hopkins closer.
