The LA Chargers went into Minnesota in Week 3 with the season on the line. As dramatic as it sounds, it would have been very unlikely for the Chargers to overcome an 0-3 deficit and make the playoffs if the team lost to the Minnesota Vikings. Minnesota also entered the game 0-2, giving NFL fans the first loser leaves town game of the season.
It was a wonky, wild ride that could only be played between these two franchises. But when the dust finally settled, the Chargers were on the winning side of the 28-24 final. Kenneth Murray made a game-winning interception in the endzone to keep the Chargers from falling to 0-3, and to likely keep his head coach employed.
The biggest story of the game, though was the monster showing from Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen. Allen had the best game of his career, not just making team history but making NFL history in the process.
Keenan Allen just became the first player in NFL history to record 200 receiving yards and a passing touchdown in the same game. #BoltUp pic.twitter.com/fRqgROHevX
— Jason Reed (@EatYourReedies) September 24, 2023
Allen was not the only one who put together a historic performance, as Herbert's game was historically impressive as well. Herbert became just the second player in NFL history to pass for over 400 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and a completion percentage of 85% or higher.
In fact, his 85% completion percentage is the highest in league history for anyone who has attempted 45 passes in a game.
Justin Herbert ends the day completing 40 of 47 passes -- that's 85%.
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) September 24, 2023
That's the best single-game completion percentage for any quarterback with at least 45 pass attempts in league history.
Despite Justin Herbert and Keenan Allen's heroics, the Chargers still nearly lost to the Vikings
You would think that two historic games from the quarterback and wide receiver would make it a comfortable game for the Chargers. That was not the case at all, as the Vikings were knocking on the door of a win late in the fourth quarter.
This is why Chargers fans are still frustrated. Fans should obviously enjoy the win, but it shouldn't take historic performances from the quarterback and wide receiver to win games. Yet this is the status of the Chargers. LA needs Herbert to play perfectly to win and on Sunday, he did just that.
Hopefully, this can be a building block for the rest of the season and a reminder to Brandon Staley that the defense just has to be good enough. It doesn't have to be overly complicated to be elite. It just needs to be serviceable to allow Herbert to go to work.
Perhaps this will be the eye-opener that the coaching staff needed because Staley may have been one more Vikings completion away from guaranteeing his departure during the season.