Chargers’ Herbert bruised and battered in 27-24 loss in KC

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert held his left arm tightly to his ribs while going into the trainer’s room for X-rays after Los Angeles blew a 10-point halftime lead and lost 27-24 to the Kansas City Chiefs on Thursday night.

Herbert was hurt midway through the fourth quarter, when he unloaded a pass to tight end Gerald Everett and was crushed by Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna. Herbert remained on the ground for about a minute while trainers tended to him, then left the game for a play before Chargers coach Brandon Staley asked if he was OK to continue.

Herbert walked back onto the field and was promptly crushed between Chiefs pass rushers Frank Clark and George Karlaftis while throwing an incompletion, forcing Los Angeles to punt while trailing 24-17 in the waning minutes.

The Chiefs added a field goal on their ensuing possession, but Herbert gamely kept the Chargers alive when he marched them 73 yards in just over 2 minutes for a touchdown. He took a couple more hits, but delivered a pretty throw to DeAndre Carter to convert a fourth down and another to Joshua Palmer on fourth down for a touchdown.

Los Angeles tried an onside kick but the Chiefs recovered and were able to run out the clock.

Herbert, who had won his first two games at Arrowhead Stadium, finished with 334 yards passing and three touchdowns, but he also threw an interception that wound up being the most important play of the game.

The Chiefs had just kicked a field goal to knot the game 17-all early in the fourth quarter when Herbert marched his team back down field. He threw a 26-yard strike to Everett to set up first-and-goal at the Kansas City 3, and he was targeting his tight end again when Chiefs rookie Jaylen Watson stepped in front of his errant pass and hauled it in.

Before the play, Everett looked winded and appeared to be asking to come out of the game.

Watson took off the other way, made Herbert miss near midfield and cruised to a 99-yard touchdown return that not only gave Kansas City a 24-17 lead — its first of the night — but energized the crowd packed inside Arrowhead Stadium.

Los Angeles went three-and-out on its next possession, then Herbert took the blow that briefly knocked him from the game, putting a bitter end to what had been through three quarters a solid performance by the Chargers on the road.

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