Chargers’ unbeaten start comes to a shocking end in loss to Giants

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Before they boarded their airport-bound buses for their 3,000-mile trip across the country Sunday, the physically spent Chargers were a collection of thousand-mile stares.

Not that they were anticipating an undefeated season — they were bound to lose sometime — but did anyone think they would fall to a winless team starting a rookie quarterback who had never thrown an NFL pass?

“It stings,” said coach Jim Harbaugh, trying to wrap his head around a 21-18 defeat to the New York Giants and savvy-beyond-his-years quarterback Jaxson Dart, making his rookie debut in place of the benched Russell Wilson.

Dart, who began his college career at USC before moving on to Mississippi, was both deft and durable, running for a touchdown, scoring a second with a shovel pass, and repeatedly climbing back to his feet after absorbing five sacks, four by linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu.

🏈 Giants 21, Chargers 18 — FINAL

The Chargers suffered their first loss of the season after a last-gasp drive comes up short

Starting from their 16-yard line with 18 seconds left, Justin Herbert failed to connect with Quentin Johnston on a deep pass over the middle on first down. He completed a 22-yard pass to Johnston on second down, but the Chargers couldn’t stop the clock.

It was the first win of the season for the Giants (1-3).

The Chargers committed 14 penalties for 107 yards and Herbert threw two interceptions.

🏈 Giants 21, Chargers 18 — 2:42 left in the fourth quarter

After thwarting the Giants at the goal line, a promising-looking drive that started with a 29-yard run by Omarion Hampton ended with Justin Herbert being sacked by Brian Burns for a 16-yard loss.

The Chargers and Giants each have two timeouts left.

🏈 Giants 21, Chargers 18 — 4:54 left in the fourth quarter

Chargers safety Alohi Gilman broke up a pass from Jaxson Dart to receiver Wan’Dale Robinson in the end zone on fourth-and-goal to stop New York from taking a commanding late lead.

Robinson actually got his hands on the ball before Gilman hit him and prevented the reception.

Runs of six and eight yards by Devin Singletary coupled with a nine-yard reception by Darius Slayton out of the no-huddle offense helped fuel a drive that ultimately came up empty.

The Giants benefited from good field position after JK Scott’s punt after a Chargers three-and-out only traveled 31 yards.

🏈 Giants 21, Chargers 18 — 1:27 left in the third quarter

Chargers rookie running back Omarion Hampton scored on a 54-yard touchdown run to give L.A. a much-needed boost amid a game marred by turnovers and penalties.

Justin Herbert scrambled into the end zone on a successful two-point conversion try to make it a three-point game. The touchdown capped a three-play, 66-yard drive.

The Chargers have 12 penalties for 96 yards and Herbert has thrown two interceptions.

🏈 Giants 21, Chargers 10 — 2:49 left in third quarter

Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart threw the first touchdown pass of his career on a shovel pass to tight end Theo Johnson for three yards. Cam Skattebo then scored on a two-point conversion run to extend New York’s lead.

Giants cornerback Dru Phillips intercepted a pass and returned the ball 56 yards to the three-yard line to set up the touchdown.

The Giants have 11 points after Chargers turnovers.

🏈 Giants 13, Chargers 10 — 6:51 left in the third quarter

Penalties are compromising the Chargers’ efforts to take the lead. The Chargers have 11 penalties for 95 yards — three of which came on their first possession of the second half to thwart their efforts to piece together a scoring drive.

Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Russell Wilson on the Giants’ opening drive of the second half for his fourth sack of the game.

Wilson entered the game after the independent booth medical trainer (AT spotter) had Jaxson Dart removed from the game to undergo evaluation for a concussion (he was quickly cleared to reenter).

🏈 Giants 13, Chargers 10 — HALFTIME

Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston breaks free from coverage to catch a 36-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert with less than 30 seconds to go before halftime.

It was Johnston’s third touchdown catch of 20 yards or more this season. Johnston’s stutter near the line of scrimmage allowed him to get open.

The much-needed touchdown capped an eight-play, 75-yard drive for the Chargers, which also featured an 11-yard reception from Johnston.

Herbert completed 16 of 26 passes for 142 yards, with an interception, for the Chargers, who trail at halftime for the first time this season.

Johnston has six catches for 68 yards and Tuli Tuipulotu has three sacks.

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart completed seven of 11 passes for 59 yards. He also has 44 yards rushing. Cam Skattebo has 46 yards in 10 carries.

Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt, who was carted to the locker room after sustaining an ankle injury in the first quarter, will not return to the game. Alt returned to the sideline in the second half wearing a protective boot on his right leg.

Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers, who suffered an apparent leg injury in the second quarter, will not return, either.

🏈 Giants 13, Chargers 3 — 1:02 left in the second quarter

Jude McAtamney kicked a 31-yard field goal to cap a 15-play, 47-yard drive for New York in the second quarter.

Jaxson Dart kept the possession alive by scrambling for 11 yards on third-and-10. However, Dart was sacked twice on the drive by Tuli Tuipulotu and was holding his leg after the second sack.

Tuipulotu has three sacks today.

Late in the second quarter, Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers sustained an apparent leg injury while going up for a deep pass and was carted off the field.

🏈 Giants 10, Chargers 3 — 8:06 left in the second quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 43-yard field goal to get the Chargers on the board after Justin Herbert was nearly sacked and drew an intentional grounding penalty.

A 19-yard pass from Herbert to rookie running back Omarion Hampton moved the Chargers into field-goal range.

Still, the Chargers have struggled to find consistency on offense. Herbert has completed 10 of 18 passes for 72 yards, with an interception, so far.

🏈 Giants 10, Chargers 0 — 13:47 left in the second quarter

Jude McAtamney kicked a 22-yard field goal to extend the Giants’ lead after a strong goal-line stand by the Chargers.

Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence set up the field goal when he batted down a Justin Herbert pass and corralled the ball for an interception, nearly scoring on a 37-yard return before being brought down by Herbert at the three-yard line.

It was only the second turnover forced by the Giants defense this season.

🏈 Giants 7, Chargers 0 — 5:32 left in the first quarter

Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt sustained an ankle injury on the team’s second possession and was carted off to the locker room. He managed to get off the field under his own power, before being carted to the locker room from the sideline.

The team announced Alt is questionable to return. Austin Deculus will take over at left tackle.

The Chargers have struggled to generate consistent offense early on, with their first two possessions ending with punts.

🏈 Giants 7, Chargers 0 — 9:20 left in the first quarter

Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, making his first NFL start, scored on a 15-yard touchdown run up the middle to cap an impressive, nine-play, 89-yard drive.

It was the first touchdown the Chargers have given up in the first quarter this season.

Cam Skattebo had a 16-yard run and Malik Nabers caught a 13-yard pass to fuel the drive.

The Chargers went three-and-out on their first possession, with a penalty on Trey Pipkins III and a dropped pass by Ladd McConkey halting them.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Raw speed was never his game, and maybe that helps explain why Keenan Allen has aged so gracefully in his NFL receiving career.

“Father Time isn’t really nipping at his heels because he was never a 4.3 guy,” said Hall of Fame receiver James Lofton, referring to Allen’s time in the 40-yard dash. “He’s like a designated hitter in baseball or a great three-point shooter in basketball. Those players are always going to be there, and he has the ability to make them.”

Allen, who could make NFL history Sunday when the Chargers play at the New York Giants, runs his routes with surgical precision and has Houdini hands, typically emerging with the football even when a defender is superglued to him.

Here are the players who will not be suiting up Sunday for the Giants and Chargers:

On a play-action pass, Chargers running back Najee Harris crumpled to the turf before the fake handoff could fully develop, immediately grabbing his left ankle and tossing aside his helmet in pain.

Needing assistance, trainers helped Harris to the sideline, as he was unable to put any weight on his leg, before he was carted to the locker room in the second quarter of a 23-20 win over the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium on Sunday.

Harris, who spent the lead-up to his first season in L.A. recovering from an offseason eye injury in a fireworks accident, was expected to be a key piece of a one-two punch with rookie Omarion Hampton.

Being inactive is no easy task. Greg Roman, the Chargers’ offensive coordinator, said he’s seen his players “flatline” mentally when they know they’re not suiting up.

Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II, however, is not one of those guys. Roman recognized that when Gadsden did not play the first two weeks.

“When you get a young guy that’s sitting there, champing at the bit, waiting for his time — that’s kind of what I saw the last three weeks from him,” Roman said of Gadsden, who had five catches for 46 yards in his debut last week against the Broncos. “He’ll be ready when his time comes, because he’s one of those guys. You can tell he wants the action.”

The only other fifth-round draft pick tight end with five catches in his NFL debut? George Kittle.

“By golly gosh,” coach Jim Harbaugh blurted out when talking about Gadsden’s multiple contested catches.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert echoed Harbaugh’s sentiments. He said Gadsden has picked up the playbook quickly, cementing himself as a player the star quarterback can trust through three games.

“Getting targeted by a quarterback of that caliber — a quarterback that’s all about trust and wants to throw to guys that he trusts — it feels great,” Gadsden said, who will see increased reps with Will Dissly (knee) out for Sunday’s game against the Giants.

Harbaugh said that he could see the type of player Gadsden was by the look in his eyes when he was told he’d play in Week 3 — a hint at what could come next.

“I just had a feeling,” Harbaugh said. “I’ve seen this movie a few times — there’s more good to come.”

The winless New York Giants used a first-round pick on Mississippi quarterback Jaxson Dart, and Sunday they’ll get a first regular-season glimpse at that investment.

It’s a rough way to start for the rookie, who will face a swarming defense and an undefeated opponent.

The 22-year-old Dart replaces the struggling Russell Wilson and takes over an offense that has scored fewer than 10 points in two of three games. Dart looked good in the preseason with three touchdowns and no interceptions but has played just six snaps in real games and has yet to attempt a pass.