Justin Herbert, Chargers shake off Chiefs curse, start 2025 1-0

Justin Herbert and the Chargers end five seasons of frustration with a 27-21 win in the NFL opener for both teams in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

At the end of the third quarter Justin Herbert drove the Chargers 74 yards in 12 plays, connecting with Keenan Allen for an 11-yard touchdown to take a 20-12 lead.

Patrick Mahomes answered with a 37-yard touchdown pass to Travis Kelce, 20-18 Chargers due to a missed extra point by Harrison Butker and a failed two-point conversion.

When the Chargers got the ball back Herbert hit seven straight short passes to drive the Bolts down to the 37. A nine-yard completion and a two-yard run got them down to the KC 25. After a face-masking penalty Herbert threw his third TD pass of the game, a second to Quintin Johnson for 15 yards, 27-18 with 4:57 to play.

The lead seemed safe until Mahomes found Hollywood Brown for 49 yards on 4th and 7 down to the Charger 9. But the LA defense forced three incompletions and forced a field goal, 27-21 with 2:34 to play.

The Chargers needed a drive to ice the game. On first down Herbert found Will Dissly for 18 yards on a tight end delay. A sack made it 3rd and 14, still 2:21 to play.

So Herbert scrambled for 19 yards and a first down, briinging the game to the two-minute warning with the ball to the KC 47. Three kneel-downs ran out the clock. For the game, Oregon's Rose Bowl-winning quarterback and 2020 first-round draft pick was 25-34 passing for 304 yards, outdueling his counterpart from Texas Tech.