Justin Herbert leads Bolts to lopsided win over Vikings

With injuries on his offensive line and at running back, Justin Herbert has a heavy burden with the Chargers this year.

He led them to a 3-0 start before losing tackle Joe Alt and running backs Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris, but it got harder with teams getting to tee off-- the team rushed for just 54 yards in a 38-24 loss to the Colts on Sunday.

Working on short rest after three sacks, Herbert found his rhythm Thursday night at SoFi Stadium. He threw for a pair of touchdowns in the first half, 8 yards to Oronde Gasden and 27 to favorite target Ladd McConkey as L.A. built a 21-3 halftime lead.

By the latter stages of the third quarter he'd connected on 16-22 passes for 212 yards. The protection held up better tonight as well, sacked just once with Alt and Trey Pipkins back in the lineup.

As the third quarter ended the team got a drive going with the running game, third team running back Kimani Vidal shaking loose for 18- and 21-yard runs, Herbert scrambling up the middle for 8 as the quarter ended, down to Minnesota 14.

Herbert had ignited the drive by hitting Keenan Allen with a 9-yard pass on 3rd and 8. Vidal bounced down to the Minnesota 2, another run for nine yards.

A false start, the second of the drive, pushed the Bolts back to the 6, 2nd and goal. Herbert tossed a touchdown pass to Tre' Harris, the Duck Rose Bowl Champion's third. The Chargers led 31-10 with 12:42 to play.

It looked locked up when Carson Wentz threw a pick to RJ Mickens. A 14-yard run by Vidal got the ball down to the Viking 36, and two plays later a face mask penalty got it to the Minnesota 21.

The Vikes pushed it back with a second sack on Herbert, but Vidal got 9 back, then Cameron Dicker the Kicker split the uprights with 34-yard field goal, extending the lead to 34-10 with 7:01 to play.

Vidal crossed the century mark with 23 carries for 117 yards, the second Charger to reach 100 all season since Hampton bolted for 128 in the loss to the Giants.

After the visitors turned it over on downs, the Chargers chewed clock, then Dicker hit a 45-yard field goal, his third of the game, 37-10 with under two minutes to play.

The win got Jim Harbaugh's team to 5-3, a half-game behind division-leading Denver. Herbert, the NFL leader in passing yards, finished 18-25 for 227 yards and the three TDs. He also ran for 62 yards on 7 carries.