The Los Angeles Chargers edged the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 at SoFi Stadium on November 17, 2024, in a Week 11 Sunday Night Football thriller that came down to the final 18 seconds. Joe Burrow completed 28 of 50 passes for 356 yards and three touchdowns, while Justin Herbert countered with 297 yards, two touchdowns, and 65 rushing yards. Tee Higgins hauled in nine catches for 148 yards, and rookie Ladd McConkey recorded 123 receiving yards in his breakout performance.
Game at a Glance
| Final Score | Chargers 34, Bengals 27 |
| Top Passer | Joe Burrow: 356 yards, 3 TDs |
| Top Rusher | Justin Herbert: 65 yards, 5 carries |
| Top Receiver | Tee Higgins: 148 yards, 9 catches, 1 TD |
| Game Winner | J.K. Dobbins: 29-yard TD run (0:18 left) |
| Turning Point | McPherson missed FGs from 48 & 51 yards |
Quarterback Performance
| Team | Player | C/ATT | YDS | AVG | TD | INT | SACKS | QBR | RTG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Joe Burrow | 28/50 | 356 | 7.1 | 3 | 0 | 3-14 | 80.2 | 98.4 |
| Chargers | Justin Herbert | 17/36 | 297 | 8.3 | 2 | 0 | 2-17 | 44.2 | 94.3 |
Burrow absorbed punishment all night. Three sacks and 14 quarterback hits made every drop-back an adventure, yet he still threw for 356 yards on 50 attempts. His 56 percent completion rate tells the story of a quarterback under siege, not a quarterback missing open targets.
Herbert’s mobility forced Cincinnati’s defense to adjust all night. While his 47.2 percent completion percentage looks rough, he delivered when the stakes peaked. Final drive: two laser throws to McConkey for 55 combined yards. That sealed it.
Herbert extended his streak to 210 consecutive passes without an interception, the longest active run in the NFL and a franchise record. His only turnover came via fumble in the fourth quarter when Logan Wilson stripped him from behind.
Ground Game Breakdown
Cincinnati Bengals Rushing
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Brown | 22 | 86 | 3.9 | 0 | 27 |
| Joe Burrow | 2 | 28 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 |
| Drew Sample | 1 | -4 | -4.0 | 0 | -4 |
| Team Total | 25 | 110 | 4.4 | 0 | 27 |
Los Angeles Chargers Rushing
| Player | CAR | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Herbert | 5 | 65 | 13.0 | 0 | 30 |
| J.K. Dobbins | 11 | 56 | 5.1 | 2 | 29 |
| Gus Edwards | 6 | 27 | 4.5 | 0 | 9 |
| Derius Davis | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 |
| Hassan Haskins | 2 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 |
| Team Total | 25 | 155 | 6.2 | 2 | 30 |
The Chargers won the ground war 155-110. Herbert turned five carries into 65 yards at 13.0 yards per pop. That 30-yard scramble in the second quarter? Sustained a touchdown drive. His legs kept Cincinnati’s pass rush honest all night.
Brown provided consistency for the Bengals offense. 22 carries for 86 yards, plus five catches for 57 more. His 27-yard burst in the third quarter ignited Cincinnati’s comeback, though the team never found the home run play they needed against Los Angeles’ front seven.
Dobbins scored twice. Once from the 1-yard line on fourth down in the second quarter. Then the knockout punch: 29 yards with 18 seconds left. He broke multiple tackles as defenders lunged to stop him short. He kept churning, dove across the goal line, and ended Cincinnati’s season.
Receiving Statistics
Cincinnati Bengals Receiving
| Player | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | TGTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tee Higgins | 9 | 148 | 16.4 | 1 | 42 | 13 |
| Ja’Marr Chase | 7 | 75 | 10.7 | 2 | 32 | 13 |
| Chase Brown | 5 | 57 | 11.4 | 0 | 34 | 7 |
| Andrei Iosivas | 3 | 46 | 15.3 | 0 | 27 | 3 |
| Tanner Hudson | 2 | 13 | 6.5 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| Drew Sample | 1 | 9 | 9.0 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
| Jermaine Burton | 1 | 8 | 8.0 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| Mike Gesicki | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Los Angeles Chargers Receiving
| Player | REC | YDS | AVG | TD | LONG | TGTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ladd McConkey | 6 | 123 | 20.5 | 0 | 28 | 9 |
| Will Dissly | 4 | 80 | 20.0 | 1 | 29 | 6 |
| Quentin Johnston | 2 | 48 | 24.0 | 1 | 26 | 8 |
| Joshua Palmer | 2 | 23 | 11.5 | 0 | 12 | 4 |
| Derius Davis | 1 | 14 | 14.0 | 0 | 14 | 2 |
| Tucker Fisk | 1 | 6 | 6.0 | 0 | 6 | 2 |
| J.K. Dobbins | 1 | 3 | 3.0 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Jalen Reagor | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
After missing three games with a quad injury, Higgins returned and totaled 148 yards on nine catches. Fourth and two from the Chargers 42, trailing by a touchdown late in the third quarter. Burrow launched it deep. Higgins ran under it for 42 yards and a touchdown. The comeback was on.
Chase caught both his touchdowns during the second-half surge. Four yards on fourth and goal: 27-13. Then 17 yards to tie it at 27-27 with 12:21 left. He also became the sixth player in NFL history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons, joining Randy Moss, A.J. Green, Mike Evans, Michael Thomas, and Justin Jefferson.
Chase scored his 40th career touchdown. It came in just his 56th game, fifth-fastest in NFL history behind only Jerry Rice (44 games), Randy Moss (44), Rob Gronkowski (47), and Odell Beckham Jr. (54).
McConkey averaged 20.5 yards per reception in his career night. The rookie’s biggest moment: back-to-back catches of 28 and 27 yards on the game-winning drive, moving the Chargers 55 yards in seconds and setting up Dobbins’ heroics.
Defensive Performances
Cincinnati Bengals Defense
| Player | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | QB HTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geno Stone | 9 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Germaine Pratt | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Logan Wilson | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mike Hilton | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Josh Newton | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Joseph Ossai | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Trey Hendrickson | 3 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| B.J. Hill | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| DJ Turner II | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
Los Angeles Chargers Defense
| Player | TOT | SOLO | SACKS | TFL | PD | QB HTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daiyan Henley | 11 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| Derwin James Jr. | 10 | 7 | 0.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Alohi Gilman | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Cam Hart | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| Tarheeb Still | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Denzel Perryman | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tuli Tuipulotu | 4 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| Elijah Molden | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Kristian Fulton | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Poona Ford | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Joey Bosa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Wilson forced the fumble that gave the Bengals life. Herbert scrambled right, Wilson came from behind and punched the ball loose. Stone recovered at the Bengals 23. Six plays later: tied at 27.
The Chargers shut out Cincinnati over the final 12:21 after surrendering 21 straight points. Zero points allowed when the game was on the line. Tuipulotu terrorized Burrow with 1.5 sacks and four quarterback hits. Henley led all players with 11 tackles, while James added 10 stops and batted down the final Hail Mary attempt as time expired.
How the Game Unfolded
First Half Dominance
Los Angeles built a 24-6 halftime lead behind near-perfect execution. Herbert completed nine of his first 10 passes, including touchdown throws to Will Dissly (29 yards) and Quentin Johnston (26 yards). His passer rating after the first quarter: 158.3.
The Chargers defense forced Cincinnati into two red zone field goals. Burrow absorbed two sacks before halftime. The offense gained just 126 yards in the first 30 minutes. Jim Harbaugh’s team controlled both lines of scrimmage.
Third Quarter Comeback
Burrow found Chase for a four-yard touchdown on fourth and goal from the 4. 27-13. The deficit felt manageable now.
Minutes later, facing fourth and two from the Chargers 42, Zac Taylor kept the offense on the field. Burrow dropped back, saw Higgins streak behind the secondary, and launched it. 42 yards. Touchdown. The stadium got nervous. 27-20 with 2:53 left in the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter Drama
Herbert fumbled on the first play of the fourth quarter. Wilson stripped it from behind. Stone recovered. Six plays later, Burrow hit Chase for 17 yards and a touchdown. 27-27 with 12:21 remaining.
STAT OF THE GAME: McPherson’s two missed field goals (48 & 51 yards) cost Cincinnati a potential 34-33 win.
McPherson lined up from 48 yards with 7:31 left. Missed left. Another drive, another chance. From 51 yards with 1:52 on the clock. Missed left again. Two opportunities to take the lead. Two misses that will haunt Cincinnati all offseason.
Final Minute Heroics
The Chargers punted with 1:26 left. Burrow scrambled for 14 yards on first down but threw three straight incompletions. Cincinnati punted with 45 seconds remaining.
Herbert took over at his own 16. First down: 28-yard strike to McConkey. Second down: incomplete. Third down: 27-yard laser to McConkey at the Cincinnati 29. Timeout.
Dobbins took the handoff left. Broke one tackle at the 20. Another at the 15. Dove at the 5. Stretched the ball across the goal line. Touchdown. Eighteen seconds left. Game over.
Burrow got one final chance. He completed a 27-yard pass to Iosivas to reach the Los Angeles 43, but his final two throws fell incomplete. James batted down a Hail Mary at the goal line as the clock hit zero.
Special Teams Impact
| Team | Player | FG | PCT | LONG | XP | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bengals | Evan McPherson | 2/4 | 50.0% | 27 | 3/3 | 9 |
| Chargers | Cameron Dicker | 2/2 | 100.0% | 53 | 4/4 | 10 |
McPherson made kicks from 26 and 27 yards. Then missed from 48. Missed from 51. Both went left. Both would have given Cincinnati the lead. Both ended up costing them the game.
Dicker converted everything: both field goals (including a 53-yarder that made it 27-6), all four extra points. That consistency proved decisive in a seven-point game.
Team Statistics
| Category | Bengals | Chargers |
|---|---|---|
| Total Yards | 452 | 435 |
| First Downs | 24 | 24 |
| Third Down | 5/17 (29.4%) | 3/11 (27.3%) |
| Fourth Down | 3/3 (100%) | 1/1 (100%) |
| Red Zone | 2/4 (50%) | 1/2 (50%) |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Penalties | 8-56 | 5-50 |
| Time of Possession | 34:08 | 25:52 |
Despite Dicker’s perfection on special teams, Cincinnati held the ball for eight more minutes. Gained 17 more yards. Won the turnover battle. Converted every fourth down. Still lost.
Execution beats yardage. The scoreboard proves it.
Coaching Decisions
Harbaugh let Dobbins score with 18 seconds left rather than running out the clock for a field goal attempt. Cincinnati had one timeout remaining. The Chargers could have taken knees and kicked as time expired.
Running backs coach Kiel McDonald told Dobbins to score if he saw daylight. Center Bradley Bozeman said the same. The aggressive call paid off. It worked.
Taylor’s fourth-down aggressiveness kept the Bengals alive. All three conversions led to scoring drives. Fourth and goal from the 4: touchdown. Fourth and two from the 42: touchdown. His boldness gave Cincinnati a chance. McPherson’s misses took it away.
Playoff Implications and the AFC Playoff Race
Los Angeles improved to 7-3 and grabbed the AFC’s No. 5 seed as the top Wild Card team. Baltimore’s earlier loss to Pittsburgh opened the door. The Chargers walked through it. At the time, projection models placed them at a 95 percent playoff probability. Harbaugh’s first season had already matched the 2023 win total with seven games remaining.
Cincinnati dropped to 4-7. Six of those losses came by seven points or fewer. They finished 1-6 in one-score games through Week 11 of the 2024 NFL season. The remaining schedule featured Pittsburgh, Dallas, Tennessee, Cleveland, Denver, and Pittsburgh again. The loss severely damaged their postseason chances with six games left.
The victory strengthened the Chargers’ playoff position heading into the final stretch. The defeat left Cincinnati facing an uphill battle to extend their season beyond the regular schedule.
Historical Context
Chase joined elite company by reaching 1,000 receiving yards for the fourth straight season to start his career. Only five others have done it: Randy Moss, A.J. Green, Mike Evans, Michael Thomas, and Justin Jefferson.
His 40th career touchdown came in game 56. Fifth-fastest in NFL history behind Jerry Rice (44 games), Randy Moss (44), Rob Gronkowski (47), and Odell Beckham Jr. (54).
Herbert’s 210 straight passes without an interception set a franchise record and leads the NFL. His lone turnover this season came via fumble in Week 2 at Carolina.
The Chargers won their fourth straight, their longest streak since 2021. Los Angeles sits at 7-3 for the first time since 2018.
Why Cincinnati Lost
Two missed field goals from 48 and 51 yards. Evan McPherson had two chances to give the Bengals the lead in the fourth quarter. Both kicks sailed left of the uprights. Six points left on the field.
Burrow threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns. Chase and Higgins combined for 223 yards and three scores. The offense gained 452 total yards. They controlled possession for 34 minutes.
Cincinnati outgained Los Angeles by 17 yards and held the ball for eight more minutes. McPherson’s two missed kicks cost them those advantages. Herbert found McConkey twice for 55 yards in 30 seconds on the decisive drive.
For comprehensive player statistics and detailed breakdowns from every NFL matchup throughout the 2024 season, visit Match vs Player Stats to explore game-by-game performance data.
The victory kept the Chargers firmly in playoff contention while extending their winning streak to four games. The defeat marked another close loss for Cincinnati in a season defined by narrow margins. McPherson’s misses and Dobbins’ 29-yard score decided it.
Two missed kicks. Eighteen seconds. One touchdown. That’s football.
