The Los Angeles Chargers kicked off the regular season with a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The 27-21 victory snapped the Chargers’ seven-game losing streak against their division rivals. And Los Angeles conquered Kansas City with its passing game.
Justin Herbert outshined Patrick Mahomes going 25/34 for 318 yards and three touchdowns. And Quentin Johnston led LA’s wideouts with 79 yards and two touchdowns.
After the game, Hall of Famer Kurt Warner praised both players. “I thought #JustinHerbert was tremendous tonight… not that I’m surprised bc we see a lot of these performances from him, but I didn’t think he made many mistakes tonight while dropping dimes all over the place! #QuentinJohnston stepped up big time… if he can be consistent like that all year, look out for the Chargers!” Warner wrote.
Quentin Johnston shined in the Chargers’ season opener
Brazil played host to an NFL season opener for the second time as the Chiefs and Chargers squared off in Sao Paulo. And Los Angeles responded to the unfamiliar setting with an unexpected game plan.
Last season the Chargers featured a run-first offense. The team attempted the sixth-fewest passes in the league and the 12th-most rushes. After drafting Omarion Hampton in the first round and signing Najee Harris, LA appeared poised to take the air out of the ball again in 2025.
But in Week 1, the Chargers turned Herbert loose. And he delivered one of the best performances of his career.
Los Angeles improved its passing game by reuniting with Keenan Allen and signing Tyler Conklin over the offseason. Allen led the team in targets Friday and finished with seven receptions for 68 years and a score.
However, Johnston turned in the unit’s top performance. The third-year wideout just recovered from a frightening concussion sustained in the preseason. And while it was unclear where he fit in the new WR hierarchy, the former first-round pick was a difference maker against the Chiefs.
Johnston got the scoring started with a five-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter. And Herbert went back to him with the game on the line. The two connected on a 23-yard TD late in the fourth quarter, putting the Chargers up 27-18.
Of course, with Mahomes and the Chiefs no lead is safe. After a field goal drive, Kansas City was on the verge of getting the ball back with over two minutes on the clock. But Herbert sealed the victory with a 19-yard scramble on 3rd & 14.
On 3rd & 14 with just over two minutes left in regulation, Justin Herbert reached a top speed of 19.82 mph on his 19-yard game-clinching scramble run, the third-fastest speed of his career.#KCvsLAC | #BoltUppic.twitter.com/iv1L4PDMr1
— Next Gen Stats (@NextGenStats) September 6, 2025
The Chargers are off to a 1-0 start. The team heads to Las Vegas next to face the Raiders on September 15.
