Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles Chargers Match Player Stats On Dec 09, 2018

Darius Philon's sack on a two-point conversion attempt with less than two minutes remaining sealed the Los Angles Chargers' 26-21 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday and helped to solidify their playoff chances.

Phillip Rivers was 19-of-29 passing for 220 yards and got the Chargers off to a quick start when he hit Keenan Allen for a 14-yard touchdown barely three minutes into the game. Running back Austin Ekeler scored nine seconds into the second quarter for a 14-3 lead, but Chargers struggled for offense from that point on but held on nonetheless.

The Chargers (10-3), the top wild-card team in the AFC, remain behind the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West standings. The Chargers and Chiefs are set for a showdown at Kansas City on Thursday night.

Bengals quarterback Jeff Driskel was 18 of 27 for 170 yards and a touchdown in his second career start as Cincinnati (5-8) lost its fifth consecutive game and dropped to 5-8 after opening the season with a 4-1 record.

Bengals running back Joe Mixon rushed for 111 yards and scored on a 1-yard run with 1:50 remaining to cut the Chargers' lead to 23-21.

But Driskel was sacked by Philon on the two-point conversion, the Chargers recovered the onside kick, and Los Angeles nailed down the victory with a 45-yard field goal from Michael Badgley with 49 seconds to play. The Bengals failed to convert a pair of two-point conversions in the game.

The Chargers were off and running early, collecting 10 first downs in the opening quarter. But the Bengals defense recovered to give up just seven first downs the rest of the way.

Despite the Chargers quick start, the Bengals still closed within two points in the second quarter at 14-12 following a 6-yard Driskel scoring pass to John Ross with 20 seconds left in the quarter. But then came the first failed two-point conversion attempt.

The Chargers went into halftime with a 17-12 lead following a franchise-record 59-yard field goal by Badgley. The kick came on an untimed down to close out the first half after Bengals defensive end Jordan Willis jumped offside as time expired.

Ekeler rushed for 66 yards on 15 carries and a touchdown for the Chargers. Rivers saw his 13-game streak of at least two touchdown passes in a game (dating back to last season) come to an end.

The Chargers have now won at least 10 games for the first time since 2009 when they went 13-3 and lost to the New York Jets in an AFC divisional game.

--Field Level Media