#chargers

#chargers

The new hero is second-year quarterback Drake Maye, who was far from perfect Sunday night but was frequently serenaded by chants of "M-V-P" by the sold-old crowd, delighted on an evening that was chilly but not frigid. These Patriots won four games last season and 14 this one, becoming the third franchise in NFL history to improve by more than 10 games over the previous year.

The Chargers play in an open-air stadium, so it's not technically a dome, but it does have a canopy roof that mainly shields them from the elements. Even better, they play in Los Angeles, and that is not an area that gets New England cold or any extreme weather like sleet or snow. That won't be something they're spared on Sunday, as the weather report for Foxborough already looks like it will benefit the home team.

Herbert certainly felt the thunder against the Texans. The NFL's top defense recorded 26 pressures as it swarmed through the Chargers' offensive line en route to a 20-16 win Saturday. And Herbert saw the lightning, best represented by second-string defensive end Derek Barnett's back-to-back sacks to halt the Chargers' first drive of the second half. The latter of Barnett's takedowns - part of the Texans' five sacks and eight tackles for loss - came when he spun past Bobby Hart and brought down Herbert for a seven-yard loss.

Let's go out and cut it loose for four quarters, as a team, and see what happens,

What happened to the Chargers who started the season with three consecutive wins over AFC West foes? Injuries along the offensive line and in the backfield account for some of the troubles - three losses in four games - but now the defense is breaking down too, especially against the run. Enter the Vikings, who have alternated wins and losses all season and are coming off a six-point loss to Philadelphia.

After consecutive losses, the Chargers are at an inflection point. Can they take advantage of a get-right game against a 1-4 team that's just as banged up as the Chargers are? A big challenge will be moving forward with the running game now that rookie Omarion Hampton has joined Najee Harris on injured reserve. The opportunity to pick up lots of yards is there, as Miami's front seven have been hopelessly porous against the run.

What started as musical chairs is beginning to sound like a sad trombone. There's only so many times you can reshuffle an offensive line before it has a ripple effect on the entire football team. The Chargers are reminded of that now as they head into Sunday's game with the Washington Commanders hoping - as opposed to knowing - they can provide adequate protection for quarterback Justin Herbert.

"It's like a gut punch into the solar plexus - takes the wind out of you," coach Jim Harbaugh said about Rashawn Slater's injury. "Don't really have the words or am able to think about anything else."

Perryman has been held without bail since his arrest Friday on suspicion of felony weapons possession after Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies allegedly discovered five firearms - including two assault-style weapons - in his vehicle during a traffic stop. He has a court hearing scheduled for Tuesday, according to department records.

Baseus is introducing its Enercore line of chargers and power banks globally, equipped with retractable USB-C cables, up to 100W charging speeds, and 20,000mAh capacities.