INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 23: Head coach Jim Harbaugh of the Los Angeles Chargers celebrates with Justin Herbert #10 after a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings during the second quarter in the game at SoFi Stadium on October 23, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
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The Los Angeles Chargers’ season has had ebbs and flows, peaks and valleys. And after Thursday night’s dominant 37-10 win over the Minnesota Vikings, it appears the Chargers are ascending once again.
Why The Chargers Were Impressive Versus The Vikings
The Chargers, now 5-3, had lost three of their last four games heading into Thursday night, including a 38-24 loss to the 6-1 Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
The Chargers came out with a sense of urgency in the win over the Vikings and put together a strong showing from start to finish. Los Angeles had 419 yards of total offense, and the defense held the Vikings to 164 total yards while notching an interception and five sacks against Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz.
The Chargers dominated time of possession at 39:04 compared to 20:56 for the Vikings. The Chargers had 29 first downs while the Vikings had just 12. The Chargers even excelled on third down, going 9-of-13 and holding the Vikings to 3-of-11. Things went so well that the Chargers never even punted, the first time not doing so since 2021.
Jim Harbaugh’s Thoughts on Chargers Performance
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh was pleased with how the team bounced back from losing to the Colts on Sunday and commended players in a locker room speech after the game.
Standout Performances On Chargers Offense
Second-year running back Kimani Vidal has been making the most of his opportunity as the starter with Omarion Hampton still out with an ankle injury he suffered in Week 5. Vidal rushed for 117 yards on 23 carries with one touchdown.
Rookie tight end Oronde Gadsen has become a difference maker in the Chargers offense. Gadsen had five receptions for 77 yards and one touchdown. This is Gadsen’s third game in a row with over five receptions, including seven receptions against the Colts for 164 yards and a touchdown.
Receiver Ladd McConkey led the Chargers with six receptions for 88 yards with one touchdown.
Quarterback Justin Herbert was 18-of-25 for 227 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Herbert was also dangerous with his legs, rushing seven times for 62 yards.
What The Win Means For The Chargers
The win has the Chargers sitting at 5-3, second in their division behind the 5-2 Denver Broncos. The Chargers are currently the No. 6 seed in the AFC, and per NFL Next Gen Stats, have a 69% probability of making the playoffs.
“It was a big win for us,” Herbert said. “A big opportunity for us to go correct some of our mistakes and I felt all three phases did that. It’s just good to see a Charger win today.”
While the Chargers are far from a finished product, their performance against the Vikings was a step in the right direction and showed they can play fundamentally sound and physical football on both sides of the ball.
“Love that drive that our team has. So really happy, really pleased with the way the team responded, the way they played, and it was together when it needed to be,” Harbaugh said. “That was something we keep building on. It’s not perfect yet but keep chipping away at it.”
The Chargers will try to keep building in Week 9 when they head on the road to take on the 1-6 Tennessee Titans on November 2.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/trevorwoods/2025/10/24/jim-harbaugh-praises-chargers-physicality-in-win-over-vikings/
