Adrian Phillips intercepted Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice, including a 26-yard pick-six in the fourth quarter that put the New England Patriots ahead for good in a 27-24 win at Los Angeles on Sunday.
Phillips, who spent his first six NFL seasons with the Chargers, dove to pick off Herbert on a 3rd-and-10 pass intended for Jared Cook, who never turned around for the pass. Phillips popped up and scrambled into the end zone untouched for a TD with 10:11 remaining.
Mac Jones found Jakobi Meyers for a two-point conversion to put New England ahead 24-17. The Patriots capped a nearly seven-minute drive later in the quarter with a 30-yard field goal by Nick Folk with 2:19 remaining to go up 27-17.
Herbert connected with Joshua Palmer on a 24-yard desperation TD with 40 seconds to play, but the Chargers failed to recover the ensuing onside kick.
Jones finished 18-of-35 passing for 218 yards, and Damien Harris rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries for New England (4-4), which has won back-to-back games and three of its past four to get back to .500.
Herbert was 18-of-35 passing for 223 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Austin Ekeler rushed 11 times for 64 yards and a touchdown for Los Angeles (4-3), which suffered its second straight loss.
With the Chargers up 14-13 at halftime, the teams swapped field goals in the third quarter. Folk made a 48-yarder with 3:39 left before Los Angeles’ Dustin Hopkins kicked a 48-yarder with 39 seconds left.
Los Angeles scored on the game’s opening drive as Ekeler’s 5-yard TD run capped an eight-play, 75-yard series to make it 7-0. New England answered with a 10-play, 75-yard drive to make the score 7-7 after Damien Harris’ 1-yard scoring run.
Herbert’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Keenan Allen restored the lead for Los Angeles at 14-7 with 12:35 to play in the second quarter. Folk kicked a 24-yard field goal with 3:29 on the clock and added a 48-yarder with 10 seconds left for the Patriots as they trailed 14-13 at halftime.
–Field Level Media