INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Things better change in a hurry for the Vikings, whose 37-10 loss to the Chargers in Los Angeles on Thursday was their second straight setback.
This comes after the Vikings traded wins and losses the first six games of the season.
And with the team staring down the barrell of a daunting schedule, they have a long layoff to figure out some solutions.
The Vikings (3-4) managed just 12 first downs to 29 for the Chargers, were 3 of 11 on third down and had the ball for just 21 minutes.
“This is not a bury-the-tape kind of time for our organization,” Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell said. “This is a watch it, view it, own it — every coach and every player, and it starts with me. I did not have our team prepared to play.”
Justin Herbert threw for 227 yards and three touchdowns to end LA's skid of three losses in four games that knocked them from atop the AFC West
Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz started on short rest in place of J.J. McCarthy, who missed his fifth straight game with an ankle injury. Wentz was 15 of 27 for 144 yards with one touchdown and an interception while getting sacked five times. He played through a left shoulder injury that he aggravated multiple times.
“Hats off to their defense on a short week,” Wentz said. “Scheme-wise, they have some good players. We were banged up up front. I thought guys competed their tails off. I could always get the ball out quicker and make some plays and make decisions faster, but the defense made it tough.”
The Chargers had chances to score on all four of their possessions in the first half, and they led 21-3 at the break. They missed only on Cameron Dicker’s 49-yard field-goal attempt that went wide left after holder JK Scott had to go up and get a bad snap. Dicker had made 46 of 47 attempts at home.
Oronde Gadsden II caught an 8-yard TD pass and Kimani Vidal scored on a 3-yard run to go with McConkey’s score. Vidal finished with 117 yards rushing.
Scott salvaged another bad snap on Dicker’s 49-yard field goal early in the third that extended the lead to 24-3.
After the Vikings were forced to punt, Herbert was intercepted at the Chargers 26. That led to the Vikings’ lone touchdown, helped by two Chargers penalties.
Will Reichard’s 32-yard field goal was nullified when the Chargers were penalized for having too many men on the field. The Vikings went for it on fourth-and-9 and Wentz nearly got sacked, but Chargers cornerback Benjamin St-Juste was penalized for illegal contact. That kept the drive alive and Wentz hit Jordan Addison for a 4-yard score to make it 24-10.
Injuries
Vikings: CB Jeff Okudah (concussion) left in the third quarter. ... LT Christian Darrisaw (knee) and TE Josh Oliver (foot) got hurt.
Up next
The Vikings visit Detroit on Sunday, Nov. 2.