(Credit: Mike Nowak / LA Chargers)
With seven seconds left in the game at U.S. Bank Stadium, Kenneth Murray Jr. sealed the win for the Chargers with an interception in the endzone, snagging a ball deflected off the chest of Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson, preventing a go-ahead Vikings score. The Chargers are now 1-2, third in the AFC West, and the Vikings are off to a dismal 0-3 start. According to NFL statistics, only six teams in NFL history have started 0-3 and gone on to make the playoffs.
The Charger’s win cost the team the services of wide-out Mike Williams. The team announced that Williams suffered a season-ending left ACL tear. An MRI confirmed the injury on Monday.
Related Stories
Trojans Remain Undefeated in Week 5, Beat Sun Devils 42-28
Oaks Christian Defeats Loyola 31-14
Williams left the game in the third quarter after he planted his leg and was tackled from behind. Before leaving the game, Williams had seven catches for 121 yards and one touchdown.
In March 2022, the Chargers rewarded Williams with a $60 million contract over three years. Last season, Williams suffered a back fracture during a regular season game against the Denver Broncos. Williams is expected to return to the team during next season’s training camp.
(Credit: Mike Nowak /LA Chargers)
To bolster their receiving corps, the Chargers have signed Simi Fehoko from the Pittsburg Steelers’ practice squad to their 53-man roster. Fehoko announced the news on his TikTok account. Fehoko played for the Stanford Cardinals, where he caught 62 balls for 1,146 yards and nine touchdowns. He is the cousin of former Charger defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko.
In their win over the Vikings, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert went 40 for 47, 405 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Chargers finished the day with 445 total passing yards and 30 rushing yards.
In the first half, Charger QB Herbert would find Donald Parham Jr. for two first-half touchdowns; a three-yard pass in the first quarter and in the second quarter, down the middle for a one-yard pass.
“It’s a great start to something big,” Parham Jr. said after the win. “God blessed me with great strong hands.”
In the third quarter, Keenan Allen would find Mike Williams for a 49-yard touchdown, bringing the Chargers to a 21-10 lead. Allen had 18 catches for 215 yards. The Vikings would answer with a Kirk Cousins strike to K.J. Osborne for a 36-yard touchdown.
With 11:30 remaining in the fourth quarter, Vikings QB Cousins passed to receiver Justin Jefferson for a 52-yard touchdown, giving the Vikings a 24-21 lead. The Chargers remained focused with a Herbert 30-yard pass to Joshua Palmer, and the Chargers led 28-24.
Vikings QB Kirk Cousins said the noise was deafening in the arena. He could not hear the call from the sideline, forcing the hurried setup for the final Vikings pass to tight end T.J. Hockenson, tipped and intercepted by the Chargers. Game over; the Chargers win.
The Chargers face the Las Vegas Raiders at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.
