The Bolts got back in the win column Sunday in Atlanta.
With a 17-13 thrilling win against the Falcons in Week 13, the Chargers have now won five of their last six games and sit in a great position to possibly play in the postseason.
And they did it on the back of an impressive performance from their defense.
NFL.com's Nick Shook's main takeaway from the game came on the defensive side, where the unit was able to pick off Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins four times and hold them to 13 points.
Shook opined it was exactly the kind of impressive, bounce back game the group.
Shook wrote:
The first number that speaks for itself is, of course, the four interceptions, but that's not the only important piece in this performance. The Chargers consistently forced the Falcons off the field, holding them to 3 of 14 on third down. They gave up plenty of yards, but bowed up repeatedly once the Falcons crossed the 50, forcing three field goal attempts (two converted), two punts and the aforementioned four takeaways. They nearly forced a fifth, hitting Kirk Cousins as he was preparing to fire and forcing a fumble that was recovered by the Falcons. Defensive coordinator Jesse Minter forced Cousins into round after round of mental gymnastics when dropping to fire, rolling coverages to confuse the veteran and bait him into risky throws. In total, the Chargers produced quite a performance just six days after giving up 30 points to the Ravens at home, scoring a much-needed win -- both for their record and their morale.
Get an inside look at the postgame celebration from the Bolts 17-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
When talking about the Chargers defense against the Falcons, it's hard to ignore what rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still did on Sunday, too.
Still had the best game of his young career finishing with two interceptions — including a go-ahead 61-yard pick 6 — along with three passes defensed and three tackles.
He also boasted the highest Pro Football Focus grade of the game with a 94.0, the second-highest single-game grade for a cornerback in 2024, earning him Ben Cooper's player of the game.
Cooper wrote:
Rookie cornerback Tarheeb Still's stingy coverage led to two interceptions of Kirk Cousins, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Still faced [five] targets, and while he allowed 60 yards on the lone catch into his coverage, it was a tightly contested grab that Ray-Ray McCloud turned into a long catch-and-run.
As mentioned, the Bolts eighth win has them with a 94 percent chance to make the playoffs, according to Next Gen Stats.
And the way the team is able to win has The Athletic's Dan Pompei believing they could make things interesting in the AFC once January comes around.
All eyes will be on one of their bigger challenges ahead this Sunday — it could go a long way in telling what the Chargers could do this season.
Pompei wrote:
The Chargers play the kind of football that translates well in ugly weather. They run the ball well. They can play the kind of defense that forces offensive mistakes. They have a quarterback who can win when the clock is ticking down. Their coach has been there before and has won big games. The Chargers have won five of six, and it's possible they have not played their best football. Beating the Falcons on the road was a statement win, but their biggest challenge will be in Kansas City next Sunday night. A win over the Chiefs could make the Chargers believe they can beat any opponent.
