The Chargers are out to a 7-0 lead.
After a big punt return from Derius Davis to the Browns 30 yard line, Los Angeles had a rocky drive stalled by a Joe Alt hold, negative JK Dobbins run, and a sack allowed on Justin Herbert.
With 3rd and 20 from the 27 yard line, nobody would have blamed the Chargers for trying to get into better field goal position. Instead, Los Angeles sent receivers to the end zone, trying to find a touchdown to finish the fortuitous drive.
Joshua Palmer and Ladd McConkey lined up on the right side and both streaked down the field. The Browns safety followed McConkey inside down the seam, leaving Palmer free to run by cornerback Denzel Ward to the corner. Ward thought he had safety help behind him, declining to run with Palmer.
Herbert found the open man quickly, delivering a throw to Palmer for the wide open touchdown to open the scoring. The touchdown, Herbert’s ninth and Palmer’s first of the season, gave the Chargers a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.
