With the Chargers and Bengals tied at 27 with 45 seconds left in the game, Los Angeles needed someone to bolster an offense that had faltered in the second half.
Rookie wide receiver Ladd McConkey was up to the challenge.
McConkey threw two passes for 55 yards, which set up JK Dobbins' touchdown run.
“When we needed an answer, Ladd made some big catches and we moved the ball,” quarterback Justin Herbert said.
The first reception went for 28 yards. McConkey was covered by Bengals cornerback Mike Hilton, and the former Georgia player climbed the ladder and made a great catch near the right sideline.
Two plays later, McConkey ran an excellent corner route to get open near the left sideline and Herbert delivered a strike for a 27-yard gain. Dobbins then sealed the deal.
McConkey finished the game with six catches for 123 yards, which was a career high and the most catches by a Chargers rookie since Keenan Allen.
The connection between McConkey and Herbert has continued to strengthen week after week, and the numbers speak for themselves.
McConkey has a team-high 43 receptions and 615 receiving yards, both of which are the second-most among all rookie wide receivers.
“He’s a guy,” running back JK Dobbins said. “He’s a baller. He’s a playmaker.”
People have written off the Chargers' wide receiver room due to a lack of top talent, but McConkey has provided a much-needed boost and developed into a role that can be relied upon in critical times.
