Just when it looked like they had finally figured it out after back-to-back embarrassing losses to open the season, the Los Angeles Chargers Chargered again.
Somehow, this was worse than getting diced through the air by Jacoby Brissett. This was worse than getting thoroughly beat down by their rival Las Vegas Raiders to thunderous cheers in their home stadium. The Chargers were right there. They had Josh Allen and the Bills on their heels, getting after the quarterback early and making him uncomfortable to the point he threw back-to-back interceptions. But not even five forced turnovers were enough to prevent a Los Angeles meltdown in what turned out to be 24-16 Bills victory.
Here are the full winners and losers from the Bills' win over the Chargers
in Week 3:
Winners
Josh Allen
Allen overcame a blistering start from the Chargers defense that had him looking flustered (more on that later). At one point, he threw back-to-back interceptions as LA raced out to a 10-0 lead. But Allen kept his cool despite many things not going his way and was able to tie things up at the half after he followed up a 37-yard bomb to Keon Coleman with a QB sneak into the endzone for the touchdown.
He took over in the second half, giving the Bills the lead in the fourth with another QB sneak. Allen finished the day 16-for-26 passing for 208 yards, two interceptions and two rushing touchdowns.
Bills defense
When the offense faltered early, it was the defense that held it together. The Bills turned the ball over five times on Sunday, but the Chargers converted them to just 10 points, all of which came in the first quarter. Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson made arguably the most pivotal play of the day early in the fourth when – after Allen fumbled to set the Chargers up deep in Bills territory – he read Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert perfectly and stepped in front of a third-down pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling in the red zone and picked it off for Buffalo's only takeaway.
Genesis Smith
It was a banner first half for the Chargers' safety, who took advantage of Allen's desperation after falling behind early and picked him off on back-to-back series in the first quarter.
Losers
Josh Allen
A fumble on the first play of the game wasn't Allen's fault, nor was the other fumble that wasn't his own. He is, however, on the hook for his two interceptions on back-to-back drives in the first quarter as well as his fumble to start the fourth. Yes, Allen redeemed himself with his poise late in the game as he led the comeback, but he wouldn't have even been in position for that if it wasn't for the Bills' defense holding strong and bailing him out early.
Justin Herbert
Those "If Man" memes depicting Herbert photoshopped into a superhero suit and cape with the words "IF" emblazoned across his chest surely won't subside after yet another pedestrian performance from the Chargers franchise QB.
Herbert finished the day 16 of 28 for 157 yards, one touchdown and a brutal interception at one of the most crucial moments of the game. After his defense came through with their fifth takeaway of the game, the Chargers had the ball at the Buffalo 34-yard line at the start of the fourth quarter, a prime opportunity to push their lead to two possessions. Instead, Herbert threw a pass over the middle on third down intended for Valdes-Scantling in the end zone, except that safety Gardner-Johnson was right there for the interception.
Herbert did make plays, some of the missed opportunities offensively came from penalties or dropped passes, but when he had the chance to take control of the game, Herbert once again fell short.
Mike McDaniel
Another part of the reason Herbert was so ineffective was the play-calling of the Chargers' first-year offensive coordinator. It got to the point where even Tom Brady was questioning McDaniel on the Fox broadcast.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Winners and losers as Chargers fall again despite 5 Bills turnovers
