Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills

Allen, Bills outlast Chargers 24-16 despite committing 5 turnovers

“Yeah,” the ninth-year player said, his eyes widening while breaking into a big laugh. “Today.”

Gardner-Johnson’s interception of Justin Herbert’s pass intended for Marquez Valdes-Scantling at the goal line punctuated a defensive-driven win by bailing out Josh Allen’s sloppiness in a 24-16 victory over the winless Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday.

The interception came three plays after Allen fumbled at his own 28. And it set up the quarterback capping the ensuing drive with a 1-yard touchdown to give the Bills their first lead with 7:35 left.

About four minutes later, and after the defense stopped Herbert on fourth down, James Cook scored on a 3-yard run to secure the win.

“I’m used to this. I’ve been in two Super Bowl bowls, conference championships. It ain’t nothing new,” Gardner-Johnson said.

“Teams like that, that ain’t really been to the top, they don’t know how to finish,” he said, referring to LA. “And we got the playmakers over here that know how to finish. So, no disrespect. Just that’s what it is.”

Allen scored two touchdowns rushing and overcame an outing in which he also threw two interceptions. And Buffalo is 3-0 for the third straight year and fifth time in nine seasons under Allen.

The Chargers, meantime, opened with three losses for the first time since 2017, and feature a listless, sputtering offense that lacks finish under first-year offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel.

Following up 26-14 losses to Arizona and Las Vegas, the Chargers managed a touchdown and three field goals despite having six drives that ended inside the Buffalo 30.

“We did not win the game. That’s painful. That hurts,” coach Jim Harbaugh said. “There was a lot of opportunity. And we’ve got to capitalize on that. We have to be better.”

Harbaugh then pushed back on the suggestion of changes being required on offense.

“I’m not singling out anybody. We win these games as a team, we lose as a team,” he said. “Not where we want to be. Only one way to correct it: Just keep chipping away.”

The Chargers have plenty to chip away at on an offense that through three games has combined for more punts (10) and committed more turnovers (six) than scored touchdowns.

The Chargers built a 10-0 lead off Buffalo’s first two turnovers in the first quarter, before being limited to two Cameron Dicker field goals. The outcome was decided after Dicker hit a 33-yarder with 1:56 left, with Buffalo recovering the ensuing onside kick.

The latest offensive dud spoiled a defensive effort in which the Chargers limited Allen to 204 yards passing and being sacked four times.

Herbert finished 20 of 34 for 226 yards with a touchdown — a 1-yard shovel pass to Keaton Mitchell — and interception, and rookie Genesis Smith had both interceptions.

Allen’s two touchdown runs upped his career total from scrimmage to 87 (85 rushing and two receiving) — tying Hall of Famers Thurman Thomas and Andre Reed for the team record. With six rushing TDs already, Allen joined running backs Hall of Famers Jim Brown, Marshall Faulk and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players to score six or more in each of their first nine seasons.

Cook led Buffalo with 154 yards rushing, while losing a fumble on the opening snap. Tight end Dalton Kincaid also lost a fumble while battling for extra yards in the third quarter at the Chargers 17.

Allen acknowledged the Bills may have stolen a win, while paying full credit to Buffalo’s defense.

“Sitting there to be tied at halftime felt like a dream, to be honest,” Allen said referring to the score tied at 10. “Our defense played fantastic. It’s not a game that you expect to win, but we’ll take them any way we can get them.”

The previous time Buffalo won when committing five or more turnovers in a game came in a 37-35 victory against Indianapolis on Sept. 21, 1997.

Injuries Chargers: CB Donte Jackson was ruled out after sustaining a concussion in the first half.

Bills: CB Christian Benford went down with a toe injury late in the third quarter.

Up next Chargers: at the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday.

Bills: Close three-game homestand by hosting the New England Patriots on Sunday.

See AP’s full NFL coverage here

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