Charger Report

Takeaways From Chargers' 17-14 Week 15 Win Over Titans

What are the main takeaways we learned from the Chargers' Week 15 win over the Titans?

Nicholas Cothrel

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The Chargers defeated the Titans 17-14 Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Week 15.

Here are five takeaways from the Chargers' eighth win of the season:

Justin Herbert was clutch when it mattered most

With the game tied at 14-14 and the Chargers needing to get into field goal range for a chance to win it, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert uncorked a 35-yard pass to wide receiver Mike Williams with 32 seconds left in regulation to move into plus territory.

"He kind of pointed up like he wanted a jump ball," Herbert said. "So, I was able to lock eyes with him."

With pressure closing in, Herbert rolled out of the pocket to his right side and delivered a strike to Williams near the sideline as he hauled in the catch over a defender.

The throw and catch changed the outcome of the game, setting up the game-winning field goal that put the Chargers on top.

The Chargers struggled to sustain drives for most of Sunday's game, as nine drives ended without points. But despite the up-and-down play, Herbert came through in the clutch when it mattered most.

"I thought he had his best when the best was required," Chargers coach Brandon Staley said. "You saw all the things that make him special. His resilience, his poise, his playmaking. ... There was a lot of pressure inside [the pocket] and it was tight. But Justin plays like he always does. He's patient and was able to make big plays for us."

Cameron Dicker continues to produce in key moments

Cameron Dicker's 43-yard field goal with four seconds left to win it was ultimately what led to the Chargers securing the victory.

Sunday's game marked Dicker's third game-winning field goal he's hit this season, one coming with the Eagles and two since his arrival with the Chargers.

“He has done such an incredible job. We have so much confidence in him," Herbert said of Dicker. "The way he stepped in, has made his kicks and the way he has gone about it is a true professional."

Dicker has now served seven games as the Chargers kicker, going 14-of-15 on field goal attempts and 14-of-14 on extra point tries.

The Chargers organization has long felt the flaws from their kicking department, but as they were forced to turn towards Dicker in slew of injuries, marking their third kicker this season, the rookie has been brilliant since stepping in.

Defense stacks another strong performance

The Chargers defense were stellar yet again for the second consecutive week, largely minimizing the opposing team's offensive output. The Titans totaled 127 rushing yards, 157 passing yards and were held to 3-of-11 on third down. 

“We’re playing team defense. You’re seeing all 11 players connected to the game plan, executing their assignment, their technique and their effort. I felt like we’ve played as hard as we’ve ever played, since I’ve been here, on defense. You can feel the energy, where you get the playmaking, and we needed all of it today because our defense won us the game today."

Titans running back Derrick Henry finished with 104 rushing yards and one touchdown, but the Chargers prevented him from ripping off a chunk play on the ground. Henry's longest rush went for 13 yards.

"We didn’t have any of these catastrophic misses, where you see this guy – and it’s all over his movie – he’s been in the NFL in a long time, and it was all over his movie in college at Alabama," Staley said of Henry. "We tackled well today and we were coming to hit him today. So often, you feel the yards after contract because you’re kind of absorbing him, and I didn’t feel that today. I felt like our guys were aggressive.”

Pass rush comes alive

Last week the Chargers recorded their first sack from an edge rusher outside of Khalil Mack since Joey Bosa went down with injury the first month of the season.

In building off last week's performance, Kyle Van Noy came through again, logging sacks in back-to-back weeks. Van Noy has shifted to a primary edge defender throughout Bosa's absence, and over the last two weeks. he's played some of his best football this season.

"I thought we rushed the passer well, put a lot of pressure on the quarterback," Staley said. "We made it tough on them in the run game and our guys really competed today. I thought that was the story of the game, was how our defense played."

In totality, the Chargers logged four sacks against the Titans, the most they've had in a game since Week 6. In addition to Van Noy bringing down Ryan Tannehill, Drue Tranquill, Chris Rumph and Joe Gaziano all picked up one sack each.

Playoff odds grow a step further

The Chargers improved to a 8-6 record and have moved up two spots in the AFC playoff picture, now holding the No. 6 seed with the Dolphins and Patriots each losing on Sunday.

The Chargers' odds to make the playoffs sit at 83%, according to FiveThirtyEight's playoff projections. After Sunday's win over the Titans, the Chargers' odds grew by 24%.

"I think it's a great opportunity for us to keep playing football," Herbert said of the team's playoff standing. "There's a lot of football left and we're in a position where if we just attack it week-by-week, we'll see what happens but guys are excited to get back after it."

With three games remaining on the regular season schedule, the Chargers don't have a game left against a team with a winning record. They'll face the Colts (4-9), Rams (4-9) and Broncos (4-10) down the final stretch.

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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Charger Report. Follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel for more Chargers coverage.

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Nicholas Cothrel
NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel is the publisher for Charger Report, covering the Los Angeles Chargers for Sports Illustrated.  You can follow Nick on Twitter @NickCothrel.

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