Justin Herbert threw three touchdowns and Kimani Vidal ran for 117 yards and his first career rushing touchdown as the Los Angeles Chargers pounded the Minnesota Vikings 37-10 on Thursday night in Inglewood, Calif.
The Chargers (5-3), who had lost three of their last four games, held a gaudy 419-164 yardage advantage and went the whole game without punting.
Herbert completed 18 of 25 passes for 227 yards with an interception. Ladd McConkey led the Chargers with six catches for 88 yards while Oronde Gadsden II had 77 yards on five receptions, both catching touchdowns.
Carson Wentz, making his fifth straight start in place of J.J. McCarthy, was 15-of-27 passing for 144 yards, a touchdown and a pick for Minnesota. He was sacked five times and hit eight times, with two sacks and three hits coming from Justin Eboigbe.
The Vikings (3-4) got running back Aaron Jones Sr. back off injured reserve, but managed just 34 rushing yards as a team and lost for the third time in four games.
The Chargers opened up a 24-3 lead after the opening second-half possession by scoring on four of their first five possessions. The only one they didn’t score was on a missed field goal by Cameron Dicker, his first of the season after a 15-for-15 start.
It appeared the Vikings scored first on a 17-yard Isaiah Rodgers interception that he returned for a touchdown four minutes into the game. However, it was ruled an incompletion after review.
Twelve plays later, the Chargers capped off a 14-play drive that took over half of the first quarter with an 8-yard touchdown from Herbert to Gadsden.
Los Angeles made it 14-0 on its next possession, with Vidal scoring from 3 yards out with 13:08 left in the first half. Vidal, stepping into a starting role with Najee Harris and Omarion Hampton back out, posted his second 100-yard performance in the last three games.
Minnesota got on the board on the ensuing possession with a 54-yard Will Reichard field goal, but the Chargers extended their lead shortly before half. A 27-yard scoring pass from Herbert to McConkey capped off a 94-yard drive to make it 21-3 at the half.
After Dicker hit a 43-yard field goal to extend the lead, the Vikings finally reached the end zone when Wentz found Jordan Addison for a 4-yard TD to cut the deficit to 24-10 with 4:36 left in the third.
Once again, the Chargers responded as Herbert threw his third touchdown, a 6-yarder to Tre Harris, with 12:42 left in regulation.
The Vikings have allowed eight touchdown passes the last three games after giving up just three in their first four games.
Dicker closed the scoring with two fourth-quarter field goals.
