INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Eric Kendricks makes himself at home in the Chargers' arenas, and Sunday's 27-20 win in the spacious SoFi Stadium was no different as the Vikings linebacker spearheaded the shutdown of a potent Chargers offense.
The Vikings' shorthanded defense – down five Week 1 starters – grounded Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, who couldn't connect downfield with star receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams until after halftime while being flustered by strong coverage and pass rush.
Kendricks, the All-Pro middle linebacker, had his hands in both. He set the tone with a sack on Herbert's first pass play, and later made a diving interception while covering Allen.