The Chargers improved to 7-3 after defeating the Bengals last Sunday night.
Let's look at where Los Angeles stands in the NFL power rankings after Week 11:
: 11 (Previous: 13)
“Sunday night they had their best offensive performance of the season… and their worst defensive performance. But teammates rally around each other and the win over Cincy gives the Bolts a near-iron grip on a wild-card spot.”
: 9 (Previous: 10)
“The Chargers took as big a swing as you could imagine on Sunday night, looked like a Super Bowl team with nothing to show for it in the first half, and then nearly suffered an inexcusable loss – one who would have done it Also their playoff hopes significantly diminished. After opening the game with blistering heat, Justin Herbert froze up pretty quickly, going to one point on 5-for-18 passes in the second half and missing two big shots to Quentin Johnston and Ladd McConkey. The quarterback's fumble early in the fourth quarter (Herbert's first turnover since Week 2) led to the Bengals tying the score, and it looked like Cincinnati would emerge with a win. But Herbert hit McConkey for 28 and 27 yards in the final minute, and the Chargers escaped a game that had a playoff-like atmosphere. The competition will also get tougher from now on, so they better prepare for more battles like this.”
: 9 (Previous: 11)
Preseason Hot Seat: WR Quentin Johnston
Current hot seat temperature: Cold
“After struggling with crashes as a rookie, questions arose this season about whether Johnston was an NFL-level wideout. He has silenced any doubts this season, with a team-high six total touchdowns. In LA's win over Cincinnati, he became the first Charger since 2021 to score a touchdown in three straight games. “Honestly, if no one else believed in me, I would still have complete confidence in myself,” Johnston said. “It was just a matter of going out there and proving it.”
“Jim Harbaugh has this team playing good football. The defense faltered a little bit against the Bengals, but they’re better.”
“The Chargers got the absolute best out of the Bengals not only offensively but also defensively. Justin Herbert threw a league-high 27.8% of his throws in tight coverage on Sunday night against a very good Bengals defense – at least for a week. Herbert also struggled with a poor average wideout distance rating, more than three feet below Sunday's leader.”
“These chargers are different. These Chargers couldn't get the charge going late in the fourth quarter. The Bengals nearly pulled off the greatest second-half comeback in franchise history. But Herbert, McConkey and Dobbins didn't let it happen, thanks to a strong game-winning drive with less than a minute left. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is changing the mindset in the Chargers locker room. This squad deserves its 7-3 record. It will be difficult for the rest of the season.”
