Chargers shut down Aaron Rodgers and Packers en route to big win
By Travis Wakeman
The Los Angeles Chargers got what was easily their biggest win of the 2019 season on Sunday while handing the Green Bay Packers just their second loss of the season.
The talk going into the game during the week centered around how the Chargers were clinging to their playoff lives while the Packers might be the best team in the NFC. As a result, you can imagine how many analysts expected this game to go.
It went the exact opposite.
The Chargers came in with a new offensive coordinator and a solid gameplan and through three quarters, almost completely shut down the Packers’ offense. As the third quarter came to an end, the Chargers had a 19-3 lead and Rodgers had around 60 yards passing.
The Packers were able to finally get into the end zone in the fourth quarter but it was much too little and far too late.
Shane Steichen called a balanced game as the Chargers finished with 283 yards passing and 159 yards rushing. Melvin Gordon ran for 80 yards while Austin Ekeler put up 70. Gordon also scored two rushing touchdowns.
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On the receiving end, Mike Williams caught three passes for 111 yards and Hunter Henry had 84 yards on seven receptions. But the story of the day was the defense.
Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram each had 1.5 sacks and players like Desmond King and Drue Tranquill just made plays when plays were needed. For the game, the Packers had just 184 yards of total offense and were just 2-for-10 on third-down conversions.
Another key factor was Mike Badgley. The “Money Badger” returned to the field for the first time this season and kicked four field goals for the Chargers.
The Chargers also dominated time of possession, a key ingredient in beating Rodgers. The Chargers ran 68 plays to the Packers 49.
This result should give Chargers fans plenty to be excited about as the team improves to 4-5 on the season. Week 10 is a short turnaround for the team as the Chargers venture into the “black hole” for the final time to face the Oakland Raiders (4-4) on Thursday Night Football.