Jim Harbaugh has taken an NFL team to a Super Bowl and won a national championship in college, but his most impressive coaching job to date might be turning the Los Angeles Chargers, one of the NFL’s most perpetual disappointments, into a team playing winning football. His team has a chance to solidify its playoff standing on Sunday night when hosting the Cincinnati Bengals. The Chargers are a small favorite for that game.
How to watch Bengals at Chargers
The two biggest changes for the Chargers this season revolve around quarterback Justin Herbert playing efficient, mistake-free football and a dominant defense that has mostly shut down every team it has faced.
Herbert has thrown more than 240 yards just three times this season and only once over 300, but he has also thrown just one interception and gone seven games without one. Combined with a defense that is No. 1 in the NFL in points allowed per game after finishing 23rd or worse in each of the past four seasons, the Chargers will be a formidable opponent every week and a tough out in the playoffs. Welcome to the new Harbaugh world.
However, that defense will get a significant challenge this week against Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. The Burrow-Chase connection is delivering some of the best football we have seen from them in their careers, with Burrow playing at an MVP level. But the Bengals’ lack of a consistent running game and one of the league’s worst defenses has so far wasted their play.
The playoffs are still within reach for the Bengals, but given their record (4-6) and the Chargers being one of the AFC teams they are chasing, this would seem to be as close to a must-win game as you can get in Week 11 of the season.
Cincinnati Bengals vs. Los Angeles Chargers odds
Expert picks for Bengals vs. Chargers
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Free, daily sports updates direct to your inbox.
Sign Up
Read more about NFL Week 11
NFL Week 11 picks against the spread: Will the ‘Fade King’ strike again with Drake Maye, Patriots?
Eager to join Lions, rejuvenated Za’Darius Smith is gearing up for Detroit debut
Patrick Queen embracing ‘villain’ role in Steelers-Ravens rivalry: ‘I wasn’t wanted back’
Bill Belichick, Mike Vrabel, Deion Sanders top star-studded 2025 NFL head coach candidate list
(Photo of Ja’Marr Chase: Jason Mowry / Getty Images)
