The Chargers found way, and that way was Justin Herbert going insane against a divisional foe in a foreign country.
After finishing the 2024 season notching zero games of 300 passing yards and three touchdowns, Herbert did just that to begin the year as he tossed three scores and 318 yards to help beat the Chiefs 27-21 in Brazil. To top off his stellar performance, Herbert made the game-sealing play when he scrambled up the right sideline for 19 yards to move the chains and cement their win.
Third-year wideout Quentin Johnston also began the 2025 season on a high note as he led the Chargers with 79 receiving yards and a pair of scores. Keenan Allen looked like his old self — and it wasn’t just hi being back in powder blue —as he hauled in a team-high seven passes for 68 yards and a touchdown. In his first NFL start, running back Omarion Hampton took 15 carries for 48 yards (3.2 ypc). While that isn’t the most productive stat line, the rookie ran hard and helped put the Chargers ahead of the chains on multiple occasions.
Defensively, the Chargers were led by linebacker Daiyan Henley who posted eight tackles and a sack on Patrick Mahomes. Defensive tackle Da’Shawn Hand also notched his first sack as a Charger while Derwin James had seven tackles and a tackle for loss.
Mahomes was held to 258 passing yards and one touchdown but almost carried the Chiefs to victory with his legs. The quarterback led the game with 57 rushing yards and also found the end zone to help spur on Kansas City’s comeback. Tight end Travis Kelce, fresh off his engagement to Taylor Swift, was held to two receptions for 47 yards, but he did find the end zone in the second half.
With the win, the Chargers are 1-0 and will head to Las Vegas to face the Raiders in Week Two.
For a full recap of Friday night’s win, check it out below.
First Quarter
The Chargers won the toss and chose to defer. The Bolts’ defense was up first against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense.
After a gain of four on first down via running back Isiah Pacheco, the Chargers defense stuffed the run on second down before forcing an incompletion on third-and-six. Off the bat, the Bolts held Mahomes and Co. to a three-and-out on their opening drive.
Justin Herbert and the offense came out throwing on three consecutive plays, including a 33-yard catch-and-run to Quentin Johnston. Rookie running back Omarion Hampton also took two carries for 11 yards to help get the Chargers in the red zone. On third-and-eight, Chiefs edge rusher George Karlaftis was called for offsides to give the Bolts third-and-two from the five. On the very next play, Herbert found Johnston again in the back of the end zone for a score to put them up 7-0 after their first drive.
The Chiefs found some offensive momentum on their next drive thanks to a Mahomes scramble for a first early on. Mahomes also linked up with Travis Kelce to move the chains and get them into Chargers territory, but the defense held from there to force another punt. Matt Araiza nailed his second punt to pin the Bolts at their own two-yard line.
A short pass to Ladd McConkey gave the Chargers a third-and-two a their 10-yard line, but KC linebacker Drue Tranquill stopped Hampton short of the chains to force another Chargers punt. Luckily on the other side, the Bolts also limited the Chiefs to a three-and-out themselves.
The Bolts kept moving the ball with efficient throws from Herbert to tight end Tyler Conklin and wideout Keenan Allen. Just before the half, Herbert went beast mode and ran for 22 yards to get the offense inside the 5-yard line, but Jamaree Salyer was called for a hold while replacing Mekhi Becton at right guard who came into the night with a stomach bug.
Second Quarter
To begin the quarter, Herbert found back Najee Harris and Keenan Allen on consecutive passes to make Dicker’s eventual field goal easier after staring down a first-and-30 following back-to-back holding penalties. The 39-yard kick made it 10-0 Chargers just seconds into the period.
Mahomes led the Chiefs on a lengthy 16-play drive that took the majority of the quarter, including two fourth-down conversions which really weighed on the ever-swarming Chargers defense. Once in the red zone, however, the Chargers found a way to clutch up and keep Kansas City out of the end zone. On third down, linebacker Daiyan Henley chased Mahomes out of the pocket and brought him down for the first sack of the game.
Harrison Butker was good from 35 yards out to minimize the Chargers lead to 10-3 with 4:50 remaining in the half.
Hoping to put up some more points before the half, Herbert went to work finding McConkey early and often to swiftly bring the Chargers into field goal range before the two-minute warning. Herbert found Allen on a third-and-seven to move the chains and almost assure that the Chiefs don’t get the ball back before the half.
But alas, this is the Chargers we are talking about.
On second down and the Chiefs without any timeouts, the Chargers offense let the play clock wind down and were given a flag for delay of game. Instead of using their own timeout to avoid the loss of yardage, they kept it in their pocket.
Then, offensive coordinator Greg Roman called a pass play which went awry and ended in an incompletion which stopped the clock for the Chiefs who were out of timeouts. On third down, Herbert handed off to Hampton who stretched the run to the right before running out of bounds with 48 seconds left, further giving the Chiefs life.
After Dicker made the score 13-3, Mahomes immediately found Tyquan Thornton for 39 yards to put them into field goal range. After back-to-back false start penalties on the Chiefs, they faced a potential 55-yard field goal. On third down Mahomes found a receiver for a short gain but he was stopped in bounds and the clock ran on. With everyone scrambling, Butker ran on the field and the Chiefs were able to get the field goal off from 59 yards which barely snuck in the left upright.
And just like that, the Chargers’ lead was 13-6 entering the half when it easily could have been 13-3.
Third Quarter
The debacle at the end of the first half and the vibes it brought with it seemed to stick around to begin the third quarter. Hampton was stopped for a one-yard gain on first down followed by an incompletion on second down and an incompletion/holding call on third. The Chiefs declined and the Bolts punted after a three-and-out.
Mahomes and the Chiefs offense marched down the field with a variety of short passes to Juju Smit-Schuster and Hollywood Brown. On a third-and-short conversion by running back Kareem Hunt, Chargers defensive tackle Teair Tart threw a punch at Kelce’s helmet which tacked on 15 more yards. Not long after, Mahomes beat Khalil Mack to the edge on a scramble and reached the ball just inside the pylon for the score.
Fortunately for the Chargers, Butker missed the extra point and the Chargers held on to their lead at 13-12.
Despite feeling like all the momentum in the world was now against them, the Chargers offense did not flinch when they jogged back on the field.
Herbert led the offense on a 12-play, 74-yard drive that featured catches from Allen and McConkey, along with some strong runs by Hampton. On third-and-three from the Chiefs’ 11-yard line, Herbert dropped back and found a wide open Allen in the back left corner of the end zone. Allen’s 60th career touchdown helped push the Chargers’ lead back up to a healthy eight points at 20-12 with 32 seconds remaining in the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
On the ensuing Chiefs drive, Andy Reid dialed up a heck of a play-call to fake a running back screen in the right flat while leaking Kelce up the sideline on a bluffed block and the veteran tight end ran 37 yards untouched for a touchdown. Mahomes’ pass on the two-point attempt was tipped at the line and fell incomplete which left the score at 20-18 in favor of the Chargers.
I don’t know what it was, but Herbert went full turbo on the Chargers’ next drive. The Bolts offense went 74 yards in 11 plays fueled by Herbert’s precision passing to his entire receiver room. Rookie Tre’ Harris caught his first career pass for a first down while both Allen and McConkey each hauled in at least one pass. The drive was capped by yet another touchdown catch to Johnston who dusted his defender before striding into the end zone. The score put the Chargers up by nine with 5:02 remaining.
With the score at an awkward difference, the Chiefs knew they needed to score fast to get both a touchdown and a field goal in the final five minutes. Mahomes led them down fast and when faced with a fourth down inside the 10-yard line, Reid decided to get the kick out of the way to minimize LA’s lead to 27-21.
However, that was the last time they would ever see the ball.
The Chargers received the kickoff and put together a game-sealing drive that saw Justin Herbert scramble 19 yards on third-and-14 to ice the victory. Herbert and Co. knelt out the rest of the clock and for the first time since 2021, the Bolts leave victorious over the Chiefs.
Style points on the slide. Justin Herbert and the
#Chargers are 1-0.
pic.twitter.com/tlS89dy1iV
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo)
September 6, 2025
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