The Sporting Tribune's Fernando Ramirez writes that the Chargers defense has stepped up the intensity the last two games, which is good with the playoffs three games away.
Gardner Minshew dropped back on second-and-15 from the Chargers’ 34-yard line, looking for Travis Kelce downfield to pick up a first down and set up a game-tying field goal attempt by Harrison Butker. Instead, Derwin James stepped in front of the pass and intercepted it.
James sprinted toward the Chiefs fans alongside his teammates, celebrating and waving goodbye to the Kansas City Chiefs, whom they had just eliminated from postseason contention.
You read that right: Gardner Minshew threw the pass that was intercepted by James in the Chargers’ 16-13 victory over Kansas City.
Patrick Mahomes was injured five plays earlier when Chargers defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand tackled him on a pass attempt. Mahomes grabbed his left knee and was eventually carried to the locker room by members of the Chiefs’ staff, leaving Minshew to finish the game against a Chargers defense that looks transformed.
Jess Minter’s unit has cranked up the intensity over the past two games, sacking Jalen Hurts, Minshew, and Mahomes a combined six times, intercepting six passes, and forcing a fumble. They also held both opposing offenses to fewer than 20 points.
On Sunday, Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh each recorded two sacks. Tuipulotu now has 12 sacks on the season, while Oweh has seven since being acquired from Baltimore.
Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh (98) celebrates a sack against the Kansas City Chiefs during the second half at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
On offense, the Chargers received major contributions from rookies Tre Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, and Oronde Gadsden, who combined for seven catches, 126 yards, and a touchdown.
Kansas City jumped out to a 13-3 lead late in the second quarter, but the Chargers responded by scoring 13 unanswered points.
How the game unfolded
Mahomes opened the game by methodically moving the ball. On second-and-9 from the Chargers’ 36-yard line, he was sacked by Tuli Tuipulotu to set up third-and-11. Mahomes responded by finding Travis Kelce for a 17-yard completion and a first down. Four plays later, with no quarterback spy from Minter’s defense, Mahomes scrambled for a 12-yard touchdown to give the Chiefs an early 7-0 lead.
The Chargers offense leaned on the run early, calling running plays on six of their first seven snaps. Kimani Vidal and Omarion Hampton moved the ball from the Chargers’ 29 to the Kansas City 45. The drive stalled after a one-yard gain on third-and-2 from the KC 31, prompting Jim Harbaugh to send out Cameron Dicker, who connected on a 49-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 7-3.
Both teams then exchanged three straight punts.
On the Chargers’ next possession, they faced third-and-11 from their own 20-yard line when Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo sent eight defenders at Justin Herbert. Herbert was hit as he threw, and defensive end Ashton Gillotte intercepted the pass and returned it to the Chargers’ 19.
Mahomes drove the Chiefs to the Chargers’ 9-yard line, but on third-and-goal he rolled right and was forced to throw the ball away after Tony Jefferson closed in. Butker came on to kick a 29-yard field goal, extending the lead to 10-3.
Kansas City added to its advantage on the next drive. Mahomes converted a third-and-4 with an 11-yard pass to Rashee Rice, then hit Xavier Worthy for 26 yards to reach the Chargers’ 35. The Chargers defense stiffened again, forcing another Butker field goal—this one from 47 yards—to make it 13-3.
With 38 seconds remaining in the half, two rookie Chargers stepped up. Lambert-Smith returned the kickoff to the Chargers’ 40-yard line, giving the offense a chance to score. Two plays later, Herbert dropped a pass perfectly into the hands of Tre Harris for a 37-yard gain. After the catch was confirmed, Herbert capped the drive by throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Lambert-Smith with five seconds left, cutting the deficit to 13-10 at halftime.
The momentum carried over into the second half. Herbert opened the drive by hitting Keenan Allen for 12 yards on second-and-4. A holding penalty on Jamaree Salyer pushed the Chargers back, but Herbert found Ladd McConkey for a short gain that McConkey turned into an eight-yard pickup. Three plays later, Herbert connected with rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden for 27 yards.
The drive stalled when Herbert was sacked on third-and-goal from the KC 5, but Dicker tied the game with a 23-yard field goal. The drive consumed more than six minutes and made it 13-13.
Both teams then traded three more punts.
Hampton broke off his biggest run of the day on the first play of the Chargers’ next drive, ripping off a 26-yard gain to move the ball inside the KC 40. Two plays later, Herbert was sacked again on third down, bringing Dicker back out for a 49-yard field goal that gave the Chargers a 16-13 lead.
Kansas City responded with a promising drive. Mahomes found Tyquan Thornton for a 31-yard gain on third-and-16, then hit him again for 21 yards on the next play. Tony Jefferson tackled Thornton as he went to the ground, drawing a 15-yard penalty. CBS later reported that New York called in to eject Jefferson for the hit. While the play did not appear dirty, Thornton’s awkward fall made it look worse, and Kelce and other Chiefs confronted Jefferson after the whistle.
Three plays after the ejection, Mahomes attempted to float a pass to Kareem Hunt near the goal line, but Daiyan Henley made a spectacular one-handed interception at the one-yard line.
Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
Dec 14, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Omarion Hampton (8) intercepts a pass intended for Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt (29) during the fourth quarter at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The Chargers took over and methodically moved the ball 55 yards, draining more than seven minutes off the clock.
After a punt, Kansas City got the ball one final time, a drive that ended their postseason hopes when Minshew’s pass was intercepted by James.
Harbaugh’s team is now 10-4 and sits in the fifth seed. The Chargers have beaten both teams that appeared in Super Bowl 59, and their defense is playing at a level it must maintain with Dallas, Houston, and Denver still left on the schedule.
Getting healthy—especially at safety—remains a priority, but another strong performance has the Chargers posting back-to-back 10-win seasons.
Harbaugh has this team believing and playing its best football late in the year, especially after sweeping a division rival that has haunted them for more than a decade. Now, the focus shifts to finishing the regular season strong with the postseason firmly in sight.
Category: General Sports
