Derius Davis sets tone early as Chargers snuff Jets

[November 07, 2023]  Rookie Derius Davis returned a punt 87 yards for a touchdown, Austin Ekeler added two more scores and the Los Angeles Chargers cruised past the New York Jets' standout defense for a 27-6 victory on Monday night at East Rutherford, N.J.
 
Ekeler ran for 47 yards on 14 carries, and the Chargers (4-4) flashed some defense of their own with eight sacks while winning back-to-back games after a two-game skid. Los Angeles won with 191 total yards of offense, while the Jets had 270. 

Nov 6, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Los Angeles Chargers running back Austin Ekeler (30) scores a touchdown against New York Jets safety Jordan Whitehead (3) during the first quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was 16-of-30 passing for just 136 yards, the lowest total in a game in his career, while getting sacked five times. Los Angeles receiver Keenan Allen had eight receptions for 77 yards, passing the 10,000-yard mark for his career.

Zach Wilson was 33-of-49 passing for 263 yards for the Jets (4-4), who failed to score more than 10 points for the third time this season. Breece Hall had 50 yards on 16 carries for New York and Garrett Wilson had seven receptions for 80 yards.

Zach Wilson lost two fumbles for the Jets and Garrett Wilson lost another as New York saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.

After the Jets went three-and-out on their opening drive of the game, Thomas Morstead sent a punt inside the Chargers 15-yard line and Davis split traffic up the middle of the field to find the end zone. The rookie from TCU scored his first career TD for a 7-0 lead.

The Chargers' Joey Bosa recovered a Zach Wilson fumble with 6:27 remaining in the opening quarter and Los Angeles went 50 yards in eight plays, finishing the drive with a 1-yard TD run from Ekeler.

The teams traded field goals in the final six minutes of the first half, with the Jets' Greg Zuerlein hitting from 47 yards and the Chargers' Cameron Dicker answering with a 55-yard kick just before the break for a 17-3 advantage.

Zuerlein added a 46-yard field goal for the Jets with 9:52 remaining in the third quarter.

Dicker struck again to give the Chargers a 20-6 lead, making good on a 38-yard kick with 9:18 remaining in the game. Los Angeles' Khalil Mack forced another Zach Wilson fumble late in the game and Alohi Gilman returned it 48 yards to the Jets 2 yard-line. Ekeler scored on the next play with 3:22 left.

In an illustration of how the night went for the Jets, C.J. Uzomah dropped a pass in the end zone with 41 seconds remaining and Tyler Conklin was stopped at the Los Angeles 2-yard line on New York's final offensive play.

--Field Level Media

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