ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Chargers trailed late in the third quarter Sunday when the Atlanta Falcons faced a fourth-and-5 from opposing territory. The Chargers offense was slogging through its worst performance of the season, and a crucial December game was slipping away.
Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins set up in shotgun formation with three receivers to his right and tight end Kyle Pitts isolated to his left. The Chargers showed a blitz look, with seven players at the line of scrimmage. They had four defensive backs aligned in coverage to match up with the Falcons’ four receivers. The pre-snap tell: The Chargers were bringing the house, and Cousins would have man coverage across the board. At least that is what coordinator Jesse Minter wanted Cousins to think.
Cousins took the snap, and the picture changed. Three of the Chargers at the line of scrimmage dropped into coverage. What looked like man before the snap turned into a Cover 2 zone. Rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still had the flat zone to Cousins’ right. Receiver Darnell Mooney ran an out route in front of Still. Cousins did not recognize the look. He threw to Mooney. Still broke, jumped the route, intercepted the pass and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. The Chargers took the lead. They never trailed again, riding their defense to a 17-13 victory.
“He thought it was something it wasn’t,” Still said of Cousins. “We had to make him pay.”
TO THE 🏡
📺 | @nfloncbs pic.twitter.com/9EjMGmntzr
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) December 1, 2024
The Chargers improved to 8-4 in Jim Harbaugh’s debut season, and a playoff berth is inching ever closer.
Safety Derwin James Jr. had one of his best games this season and closed out the win with an interception on the final drive.
“What a beautiful thing we are all witnessing,” Harbaugh said. “It’s players, it’s coaches, it’s the personnel department, it’s ownership. It’s an entire organization coming together.”
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