Chargers inspired by Edmund Fitzgerald, Justin Herbert in win over Titans

When the NFL releases its schedule every May, people circle dates for many reasons. Jim Harbaugh circled Nov. 10, and in this era of legalized sports betting, odds were excellent that the Chargers had the NFL’s only victorious locker room on Sunday blasting The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald by Gordon Lightfoot.

“Today was the anniversary of the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, so we were honoring that,” Harbaugh said.

It was music to the Chargers’ ears. So was the announcement by referee Craig Wrolstad late in the second half, the turning point in the game, that replay had reversed Tennessee’s defensive touchdown. Ruling that Justin Herbert’s arm was going forward, officials ruled the play an incomplete pass, erasing the Titans’ go-ahead score and Jeffery Simmons’ sack. Crediting Herbert, Harbaugh said it was one of the two most important plays in the Chargers’ 27-17 victory.

“I should’ve been running the ball. I shouldn’t have been throwing it late in the half,” Harbaugh said Monday on the Pat McAfee Show. “He gets hit, doesn’t see him, hit, arm, there’s nobody that could’ve held onto the ball. He’s got a big hand, great strength, and he was able to finish that throwing motion. To everybody in the stadium, it looked like a fumble, Titans pick it up, score a touchdown. It was almost inhuman that he was able to hold onto the ball.”

The Titans (2-7) didn’t hold onto the ball for most of the game, thanks to Harbaugh’s defense. Tennessee scored on a first-quarter touchdown drive, Will Levis hitting Calvin Ridley on a 41-yard strike, but Los Angeles otherwise suffocated the Titans. The Chargers compiled seven sacks, two each by Bud Dupree and Tuli Tuipulotu, and held Tennessee to just three conversions on nine third-down attempts.

It’s been a remarkable defensive turnaround since Harbaugh arrived. From 2021-23, the Chargers allowed 24.3 points per game, fifth-worst in the NFL during that span. But this season under new defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, they lead the league, giving up just 13.1 points per game. In fact, Harbaugh’s club became only the fourth NFL team since 1990 to allow 20-or-fewer points in each of its first nine games, joining the 1990 New York Giants (first 10 games), 2013 Kansas City Chiefs (nine) and 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars (nine).

And Herbert has thrived on that defensive effort. Herbert on Sunday guided Los Angeles on three touchdown drives, including his go-ahead touchdown run in the second quarter. He also hit Quentin Johnston on a 16-yard score to extend the Los Angeles’ third-quarter lead to 20-10. Herbert hasn’t thrown an interception since Week 2 and surpassed David Carr for the most completions by a player over his first five NFL seasons.

“That speaks to his greatness,” Harbaugh said, “and just to be around it every day is that’s what it feels like. Feels like you’re around greatness every single day with Justin Herbert, and there’s still a long way to go.”

That road starts Sunday night when the Chargers host Cincinnati (4-6) at SoFi Stadium. Tennessee returns home to play Minnesota (7-2) on Sunday.

For more information on the Chargers and Titans, visit the L.A. Chargers and Tennessee team pages at ProFootballPost.com.