CARSON, Calif. — Down 10 points to start the game, the Los Angeles Chargers needed a spark.
In his second game back, defensive end Joey Bosa provided the play his team needed, as the Bolts came out as flat as a pancake for a second straight week.
Bosa recorded his first sack of the season early in the second quarter, blowing past Arizona Cardinals right tackle Andre Smith to sack rookie quarterback Josh Rosen for an 11-yard loss, one of two sacks for the Ohio State product on the day.
Although Philip Rivers lost a fumble on the ensuing possession, Bosa’s play served as a wake-up call. The Chargers outscored the Cardinals 28-0 in the second quarter to seize control of the game, and the Bolts won going away 45-10 at StubHub Center on Sunday.
With the victory, the Chargers have now won seven of their last eight games and sit at 8-3 on the year, the team’s best record at this point of the season since 2009.
Rivers had one of his best games of the year. With a 4-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen, Rivers tied an NFL record of 25 straight completed passes.
However, his attempt to break the record fell at the feet of running back Austin Ekeler midway through the third quarter, as Rivers was under pressure.
Rivers finished the game 28-of-29 for 259 yards, with three touchdown passes and no interceptions. He was replaced by backup Geno Smith to finish out the game.
At 8-3, the Chargers are the current No. 5 seed in the AFC playoffs with a two-game lead over the Baltimore Ravens at No. 6. While the Chargers sit firmly as an AFC wild-card team with five games left, they will get perhaps the team’s toughest test this season next week when they hit the road to face a perennial playoff team in the Pittsburgh Steelers.
And the Bolts may do so without the services of workhorse running back Melvin Gordon, who suffered a right knee injury on an ill-advised double reverse call, as he was legged-whipped by Arizona defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche for a 10-yard loss.
Gordon left the field on his own. However, he was checked out by medical staff on the sideline and later went to the locker room for further evaluation.
Gordon was questionable going into Sunday’s game due to knee and hamstring issues, and suffered the injury with his team in control of the game, leading 28-10.
Gordon finished the game with 61 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Gordon now has 13 touchdowns on the season, scoring at least 12 touchdowns in three straight seasons after going without a touchdown his rookie year.
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