Los Angeles Chargers lead Jacksonville Jaguars AFC Wild Card halftime score update
The Los Angeles Chargers completely dismantled the Jacksonville Jaguars in all phases of the game in the first half, and took a comfortable 27-7 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Justin Herbert threw for 139 yards on 15 of 24 passing and a touchdown. Austin Ekeler added 39 yards on nine touches and two touchdowns.
The story of the first half, however, was the Chargers defense against Jacksonville and Trevor Lawrence. The second-year quarterback went 10-for-24 with 77 yards, a touchdown and a shocking four interceptions. A special teams turnover late in the second half made it five total for the Jaguars in a terrible effort.
Asante Samuel Jr. was the star on D for Los Angeles – he had three interceptions in the first half.
Jacksonville got the ball with two minutes left in the second half and was forced to risk a fourth-and-2. They ended up running back Marvin Jones Jr., and shared a zero-for-seven start on third and fourth down attempts.
Evan Engram caught a pass up the middle with 24 seconds left in the first half to give Jacksonville its first hope of the game, though it made it 27-7.
Los Angeles forced a punt after a short drive fumbled, but the punt bounced off the helmet of a Jaguars special teamer and into the hands of a Chargers for their fifth turnover of the night.
The Jaguars defense was able to hold strong on their goal line out of bounds, and Cameron Dicker made his second field goal of the game, this one from 23 yards.
Looking for a lifeline midway through the second, Lawrence risked a throw up the middle on third down, and it was stopped by — who else — Samuel Jr., his third of the game.
The Chargers really started to spread it during the second quarter, as a short touchdown by Gerald Everett capped a 12-play drive and pushed their lead to 24-0.
In the second quarter, the Charges defense continued to pile on Lawrence and the Jaguar offense as they stuffed the quarterback on a third-and-three attempt to force another punt.
Samuel Jr. picked off Lawrence at third on another questionable throw. He completed just three of his first 12 passes for 26 yards with three terrible interceptions. Ekeler capped the short drive with a six-yard run, his second of the day to give the Chargers a 17-0 lead.
Down 10-0, Lawrence and the Jaguars’ offensive line struggled to make plays again as they punted after a five-play drive.
On their second possession of the game, the Jaguars mounted a strong drive that ignited in the opposing zone. The Jaguars tried to convert a fourth-and-seven that ended with a Samuel Jr. interception.
The ensuing drive started strong, but the Chargers couldn’t find the final drive needed in the red zone and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Dicker to cap a 12-play, 57-yard drive. Gerald Everett’s 23-yard catch and run was the highlight play.
Disaster struck early for Lawrence – his first pass attempt of the game was deflected at the line by Joey Bosa, and intercepted by linebacker Drue Tranquill less than a minute into the game.
Ekeler scored a quick shot just 1:27 into the game off a turnover. He led the league with 18 touchdowns in the regular season, and his 38 touchdowns over the past two seasons lead the NFL by a wide margin.
