Chargers Hand Titans Fourth Straight Loss on Late Field Goal 17–14

Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers hands off the ball to Austin Ekeler (30) during the second quarter of the game against the Tennessee Titans at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Dec. 18, 2022. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Justin Herbert passed for 313 yards and Cameron Dicker made a 43-yard field goal with four seconds remaining as the Los Angeles Chargers pulled off a 17–14 victory over the visiting Tennessee Titans on Sunday, Dec. 18, at Inglewood, Calif.

It was Dicker’s third game-winning field goal this season, although one came as a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.

On a day dominated by both defenses, the Chargers (8–6) did just enough on offense to help their playoff prospects, moving into an AFC wild-card spot.

After the Titans tied the game 14–14 on a 1-yard sneak by Ryan Tannehill with 48 seconds remaining, Herbert engineered a 52-yard drive for the game-winning kick.

Herbert completed 28 of 42 passes and did not throw for a touchdown for just the second time this season. He also threw two interceptions for the first time in 17 games going back to last season.

Rashad Weaver (99) of the Tennessee Titans pressures Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter of the game at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Dec. 18, 2022. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Tannehill was 15 of 22 for 165 yards and an interception while playing through a right ankle injury he sustained on the first offensive series of the game. Malik Willis played quarterback for one series. Derrick Henry rushed for 104 yards and a TD for Tennessee (7–7), which dropped its fourth straight result.

The Chargers appeared headed toward a promising offensive day when they drove 68 yards on 14 plays during their first possession, getting a 1-yard TD run from Joshua Kelley with 4:25 remaining in the opening quarter.

Immediately after Tannehill returned from his injury, with a heavily-taped ankle, he led the Titans on a six-play, 63-yard drive that ended with Henry’s 4-yard TD run.

Derrick Henry (22) of the Tennessee Titans runs the ball for a touchdown during the second quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., on Dec. 18, 2022. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Not counting the Titans’ one play before halftime, the teams went a combined 11 drives without scoring. After Tennessee’s Randy Bullock missed a 51-yard field-goal attempt with 13:39 remaining, the Chargers embarked on a 59-yard scoring drive.

Herbert hit Keenan Allen on a 31-yard pass two plays before Ekeler powered his way into the end zone from 3 yards out for his ninth rushing TD of the season and a 14–7 lead with 10:28 remaining.

Tennessee got the ball with 2:57 remaining at their own 26-yard line as Tannehill engineered a game-tying drive.

With the loss, the Titans’ grip on first place in the AFC South was reduced to one game over the Jacksonville Jaguars.