Chargers’ winning streak annihilated in blowout loss to Jaguars

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Numbers don’t lie. But sometimes NFL teams do.

That’s why All-Pro safety Derwin James Jr. believes the Chargers need to be unmercifully honest in sorting through Sunday’s 35-6 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, the most lopsided defeat of the Jim Harbaugh era.

The Jaguars collected 30 first downs, held the ball for nearly 16 minutes longer, and limited Justin Herbert to a career-low 81 yards passing.

Candor incoming.

🏈 Jaguars 35, Chargers 6 — FINAL

Behind an ugly offensive effort that produced just 135 total yards and led to Justin Herbert being pulled in the fourth quarter, the Chargers saw their three-game winning streak end in a blowout road loss.

Herbert completed just 10 of 18 passes for 81 yards, with an interception. Herbert was also the Chargers’ leading rusher, with 21 yards on three carries. Herbert was sacked three times behind an offensive line that continued to struggle to protect him.

Running back Kimani Vidal sustained a thigh injury in the first half and did not return.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence completed 14 of 22 passes for 153 yards, with a touchdown and an interception. The Jaguars had 345 total yards.

🏈 Jaguars 35, Chargers 6 — 7:30 left in the fourth quarter

On fourth down, Chargers linebacker Troy Dye knocked the ball out of Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence’s hand for an incompletion.

The play put the ball back into Trey Lance’s hands with the game out of reach.

Play was halted briefly for a medical emergency apparently involving someone on the Jacksonville sideline.

When play resumed, Lance avoided being sacked to complete a 28-yard pass to tight end Oronde Gadsden II.

🏈 Jaguars 35, Chargers 6 — 10:35 left in the fourth quarter

With a win clearly out of reach, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh replaced Justin Herbert at quarterback with backup Trey Lance on the team’s third possession of the second half.

The Chargers went nowhere, going three and out again. They have been held to four total yards in the second half.

🏈 Jaguars 35, Chargers 6 — 11:02 left in the fourth quarter

Two plays after Justin Herbert threw an interception, Travis Etienne Jr. scored on a 13-yard run to keep the Jaguars in complete control.

Jacksonville safety Antonio Johnson intercepted a pass from Herbert intended for Ladd McConkey on the opening play of the Chargers’ first possession of the fourth quarter.

The Chargers have been held to 102 total yards.

🏈 Jaguars 28, Chargers 6 — 11:38 left in the fourth quarter

Tim Patrick caught a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence to cap what might have been a game-sealing drive for the Jaguars.

The 16-play, 76-yard drive ran 9 minutes and 18 seconds off the game clock. The touchdown came two plays after Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. converted on third and one inside the Chargers’ five-yard line on a two-yard carry.

The Jaguars are four for four today in the red zone.

A 15-yard catch by Jakobi Meyers and an 11-yard completion to tight end Quintin Morris helped power the drive. A steady helping of handoffs to running backs Bhayshul Tuten and Etienne Jr. also produced yards and took time off the clock.

Justin Herbert and the Chargers need to rediscover their offense to have a chance of a comeback.

🏈 Jaguars 21, Chargers 6 — 5:56 left in the third quarter

Justin Herbert was under center on the Chargers’ first possession of the third quarter after an injury scare at the end of the first half, but the Jaguars deflected his pass attempt on third down to force a three and out.

The Chargers have been held to just 102 total yards against a Jaguars team that is finding success putting pressure on Herbert.

🏈 Jaguars 21, Chargers 6 — 7:50 left in the third quarter

Trevor Lawrence scored on a one-yard quarterback keeper as Jacksonville improved to three for three in the red zone against the Chargers.

A play earlier, Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden was called for pass interference in the end zone on a pass intended for Tim Patrick.

The touchdown capped an impressive 11-play, 65-yard drive against a Chargers defense that is struggling to put any pressure on Lawrence.

The possession included an 11-yard catch by Parker Washington, a 12-yard run by Bhayshul Tuten and a 10-yard reception by Patrick.

🏈 Jaguars 14, Chargers 6 — HALFTIME

Justin Herbert went to the sideline medical tent after being hit hard on a sack by Jaguars defensive end BJ Green late in the second quarter. The hit drew a roughing the passer penalty that was offset by an illegal formation penalty on lineman Trevor Penning.

Backup quarterback Trey Lance started warming up before the Chargers opted to punt the ball instead of trying to go for it a second time. Herbert emerged from the medical tent just before the end of the first half and put his helmet on, appearing ready to re-enter the game if necessary.

Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen stretches to make a leaping catch over Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Montaric Brown in the second quarter.

(Phelan M. Ebenhack / Associated Press)

The Chargers’ six-play, 33-yard drive sputtered at the Jacksonville 42 despite Keenan Allen making a spectacular, stretching catch in tight coverage for a 30-yard reception during the possession.

Herbert has completed nine of 15 passes for 81 yards — and has been sacked two times. Allen has three catches for 44 yards. Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence has completed six of 11 passes for 67 yards, with an interception.

The Jaguars will receive the ball to open the second half.

🏈 Jaguars 14, Chargers 6 — 3:37 left in the second half

Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. scored on a two-yard touchdown run off a direct snap in the Wildcat as the Jaguars quickly sliced through the Chargers defense to extend their lead.

A 16-yard reception by tight end Johnny Mundt and a 15-yard run by Bhayshul Tuten helped fuel the nine-play, 60-yard drive.

🏈 Jaguars 7, Chargers 6 — 8:15 left in the second quarter

The Chargers had to settle for a 46-yard field goal from Cameron Dicker after the Jaguars sacked Justin Herbert on third down, thwarting a prime scoring chance for L.A.

After Donte Jackson intercepted a pass to give the Chargers the ball on the Jacksonville 42, the Chargers managed to get into the red zone thanks, in part, to a 12-yard run by Herbert and an eight-yard completion to Keenan Allen.

But on third and 10, Jaguars defensive end Josh Hines-Allen sacked Herbert for the Jaguars’ second sack of the game to end the drive. The sack made Hines-Allen the Jaguars’ all-time sack leader (56).

Chargers running back Kimani Vidal, who sustained a thigh injury on the Chargers’ previous drive, is questionable to return.

🏈 Jaguars 7, Chargers 3 — 12:54 left in the second quarter

Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson intercepted a pass from Trevor Lawrence intended for wide receiver Tim Patrick to give the Chargers the ball at the Jacksonville 42.

Lawrence’s pass was off the mark, allowing Jackson to pick off from the inside.

🏈 Jaguars 7, Chargers 3 — 13:18 left in the second quarter

Justin Herbert was sacked and Kimani Vidal was hit for a five-yard loss before sustaining an apparent left leg injury on the final play of an ugly looking three and out for the Chargers.

Vidal managed to walk off the field toward the sideline while slightly limping.

🏈 Jaguars 7, Chargers 3 — End of the first quarter

Rookie running back Bhayshul Tuten scored on a four-yard run to give the Jaguars the lead.

A 31-yard pass-interference penalty on Tarheeb Still on a pass intended for wide receiver Parker Washington was a key factor in the success of the six-play, 74-yard drive.

An 11-yard run by Tuten set up his touchdown carry on the next play.

🏈 Chargers 3, Jaguars 0 — 3:31 left in the first quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 41-yard field goal to give the Chargers an early lead at the end of a nine-play, 35-yard drive.

The Jaguars broke up a short pass from Justin Herbert to rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II on third and three before the field goal.

Gadsden caught a 13-yard pass at the beginning of the drive. Herbert was driven into the turf by Foyesade Oluokun after a four-yard run, but got right up and even shared some smack talk with the Jaguars linebacker.

🏈 Chargers 0, Jaguars 0 — 8:12 left in the first quarter

The Chargers stopped the Jaguars on fourth and three when Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence failed to connect over the middle with wide receiver Jakobi Meyer, halting a 10-play, 47-yard drive.

The Chargers took over on downs at their 41-yard line.

🏈 Chargers 0, Jaguars 0 — 14:17 left in the first quarter

The Jacksonville Jaguars won the coin toss and deferred. Justin Herbert and the Chargers got the ball first as they looked to pick up their fourth consecutive win.

On the first play from scrimmage, Jaguars defensive end Travon Walker nearly sacked Herbert, who was called for an intentional grounding penalty on the play. The Chargers ended up going three and out.

RJ Mickens feels as if the blueprint is right in front of him. Across the Chargers locker room, he sees No. 3 and immediately knows of the possibilities.

The rookie safety has played a leading role in sparking a Chargers defense that has helped lift the team to a three-game winning streak heading into Sunday’s game against Jacksonville. Before getting the chance to prove himself, Mickens learned from the secondary corps around him: Tony Jefferson, Elijah Molden, Donte Jackson — and No. 3, Derwin James Jr., the defense’s leader.

“He’s willing to pour into me and help me get to where he’s at and surpass him,” said Mickens, who secured his second career interception against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. “And he’s willing to help me. I’m really willing to go to him.”

Tre’ Harris watched as Oronde Gadsden II burst by him, the 6-foot-5 tight end chugging over the turf at Golden West College’s football field.

Months before Harris and Gadsden suited up as Chargers rookies, the duo were catching passes from Jaxson Dart — now the starting quarterback for the New York Giants — during pre-NFL Scouting Combine training sessions at the Huntington Beach community college as the trio took advantage of sunny weather in Southern California.

“I saw his talents immediately,” Dart said of Gadsden. “Skill set-wise, I thought he was a very unique athlete, being, you know, the stature that he is. I thought his footwork was some of the best that I’ve seen.”

Trevor Penning couldn’t help but smile and chuckle after arriving in the brisk El Segundo weather from New Orleans early Wednesday morning.

It was fewer than 24 hours after he’d been told of the trade of which he wasn’t expecting, standing in front of his new end-of-the-hallway locker in the Chargers’ clubhouse. A placard listing Penning’s high school-recruiting rating, and the schools he attended, had yet to be placed atop his stall next to long snapper Josh Harris.

An end to the shutdown?

Not for the Chargers.

Their defense smothered the Pittsburgh Steelers in a 25-10 victory Sunday night, and limited Aaron Rodgers to a cosmetic touchdown at the end, intercepting him twice and sacking him three times — once in the end zone for a safety.

Different team. Different time. But it’s back to the scene of the crime for the Chargers, who three years ago succumbed to a 27-point comeback in a playoff loss at Jacksonville.

This season’s Jaguars got off to a 4-1 start but have lost three of their last four to slip back into the pack. They don’t have star rookie Travis Hunter, who underwent surgery this week and will miss the remainder of the season.

The team plays hard for first-year coach Liam Coen, who said he wants quarterback Trevor Lawrence to “cut it loose and let it rip” when he sees opportunities down the field.