By Joe Reedy, Associated Press

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — JK Dobbins rushed for a 29-yard touchdown with 18 seconds left, and the Los Angeles Chargers beat the Cincinnati Bengals 34-27 on Sunday night after blowing a 21-point lead in the third quarter.

Justin Herbert passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 65 yards as the Chargers (7-3) earned their fourth straight victory. Dobbins ran for two touchdowns.

Joe Burrow passed for 356 yards and three touchdowns, but the Bengals (4-7) suffered another agonizing loss. They have five defeats by seven points or less.

After its offense was stalled for most of the second half, Los Angeles racked up 84 yards on four plays in 26 seconds on the deciding drive. Ladd McConkey, who had six receptions for a career-high 123 yards, had passes of 28 and 27 yards before Dobbins scored his eighth touchdown of the season.

Dobbins also scored from 1 yard out in the second quarter to extend Los Angeles’ lead to 21-6. He finished with 56 yards on 11 carries.

Burrow brought Cincinnati to the Chargers 43 in the final seconds with a 27-yard run, but his final two throws fell incomplete. Derwin James Jr. jumped to the goal line and threw a Hail Mary headed right to Tee Higgins on the final play.

Higgins had nine receptions for 148 yards and a touchdown while Ja’Marr Chase had 75 yards on seven catches and two scores.

Kicker Evan McPherson had two chances in the fourth quarter to give the Bengals the lead, but he was wide left on 48 and 51 yards.

Herbert completed nine of his first 10 passes, but made eight of 26 the rest of the way.

Cincinnati trailed 27-6 in the third quarter, but scored on three straight drives in 13 minutes to tie the game. The first two scores came on fourth-down plays.

Burrow hit Chase on a slant on fourth-and-goal from the LA 4 to bring the Bengals within two scores. Higgins – who missed the last three games with a quad injury – then got behind Elijah Molden and Ja’Sir Taylor on fourth-and-2 for a 42-yard touchdown to make it 27-20 .

The Bengals tied it at 27 with 12:21 left when Chase scored a 17-yard touchdown.

Burrow finished 16 of 30 for 245 yards on his last seven drives.

After McPherson’s 26-yard field goal gave the Bengals a 3–0 lead, the Chargers quickly responded when Herbert connected with Will Dissly for a 29-yard touchdown. It was the longest reception for the tight end since Week 1 in 2022, when he scored 38 yards for Seattle.

Cincinnati kicked another field goal before Quentin Johnston caught a 26-yard touchdown from Herbert to make it 14-6 less than four minutes into the second quarter. It was Johnston’s sixth touchdown and third straight game he reached the end zone.

Los Angeles extended its lead to 24-6 at halftime with two goals in the final five minutes. After Dobbins scored on fourth down, Cameron Dicker kicked a 19-yard field goal on the final play of the half.

Injuries

Bengals: CB DJ Turner II left with a shoulder injury in the third quarter. … OT Orlando Brown Jr. missed his third straight game with knee and leg injuries, and defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins (illness) was inactive.

Chargers: CB Cam Hart suffered a concussion in the second half and did not return. LB Denzel Perryman left in the fourth quarter with a groin injury. … LB Khalil Mack (groin) was inactive. It was the first game Mack missed since joining the Chargers in 2022.

To be continued

Bengals: After a bye, host Pittsburgh on December 1.

Chargers: Host Baltimore on Monday, November 25 in the third matchup between coach Jim Harbaugh and his older brother, John.

AP NFL: