Studs, duds from Chargers’ victory over Cardinals

The Chargers came from behind to defeat the Cardinals in the final two minutes of regulation.

Along the way, some players and groups helped the team to victory, while some were an issue.

Here is a look at my studs and duds from Los Angeles’ Week 12 victory.

Stud: Justin Herbert

Nice day at the office for the social media quarterback.

Down six with 1:48 to go, Herbert guided the Chargers to a game-winning drive after going 7-for-8 with a touchdown pass and a successful two-point conversion to take the 25-24 lead and win the game.

Before that, Herbert put the offense in manageable situations, despite being under consistent duress, taking what was available and what he had time to find.

Herbert completed 75% of his passes for 274 yards and three touchdowns. Further, he led the team in rushing with 38 yards.

Dud: Run defense

The Cardinals had one of the worst rushing offenses in the league, yet the Chargers made them look like one of the better teams in that department.

James Conner ran for a season-high 120 yards on 25 carries. His previous season-high was 69 yards. There was also no answer for Kyler Murray, who had 56 yards on seven carries (eight yards per carry) and a touchdown.

It was the same issue for Los Angeles. The defensive front was consistently beaten at the point of attack. Edges weren’t being set. And tackling in space was inconsistent.

Stud: Deandre Carter

While Mike Williams has been out, it has allowed other players to step up, and today it was Carter.

Carter led the team in receiving with seven catches on ten targets for 73 yards and a 33-yard touchdown. One of his few crucial grabs came on 3rd-and-10 for 13 yards in the third quarter.

Carter also had a 20-yard punt return on the final possession from the Chargers’ 37 to the Cardinals’ 43 to set up the offense in good field position, which led to them scoring and winning the game.

Dud: JT Woods

Nasir Adderley did not play due to a thumb injury. Alohi Gilman got the start, but Woods also got a fair amount of playing time.

The team’s third-round pick had been a healthy scratch for most of the season solely due to his inability to tackle properly. Well, his shortcomings in that area showed up on Sunday.

On the Cardinals’ first scoring drive, JT Woods threw a shoulder into Deandre Hopkins, but it missed and turned into a 33-yard touchdown.

Stud: Derwin James

James had been having a great season, but the only thing he had not been doing at the halfway point was creating takeaways. That changed two weekends ago when he forced a fumble against the 49ers.

The turnovers continued for James.

On the Cardinals’ first offensive possession, James stripped James Conner near midfield. A few drives later, James made an acrobatic interception of a Murray fourth-and-one pass intended for Hopkins.

In addition, James allowed only a 58.3 passer rating when targeted.

Through 11 games, James has recorded 100 tackles, four sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception.

Dud: Pass protection

The Cardinals have been one of the better teams at getting after opposing quarterbacks, and it showed up today. Herbert was sacked four times, hit 13 times, and pressured 39% of the time.

One of the biggest factors was not having Corey Linsley, who missed most of the game with a head injury. Jamaree Salyer, who has been solid this season, had a rough outing. Trey Pipkins was not his best, as he was dealing with the same knee issue.

Herbert still did what he could to pick up and evade the pressure and make plays, but it was a major issue.

Story originally appeared on Chargers Wire