Chargers’ playoff hopes lean heavily on stopping Derrick Henry and Titans

They pressed and pushed Miami’s speed all over SoFi Stadium, the Chargers producing their finest defensive performance of the season by bullying the Dolphins into a parade of empty plays.

Now comes a Tennessee offense that prefers to operate more downhill than downwind.

“You gotta get physical, man,” Chargers safety Alohi Gilman said. “It’s one on one, me and you, in the backyard. That’s kind of how I was raised. I’m down for the challenge. I’m ready to go.”

Last weekend, the Chargers limited Miami to one offensive touchdown on a day when they, too, were limited. Gilman started and played every defensive snap in place of Derwin James Jr., who is doubtful again for Sunday because of a quadriceps strain.

They also were missing defensive tackle Sebastian Joseph-Day (knee) and cornerback Bryce Callahan (core muscle). Both practiced in a limited capacity leading into this game and are questionable.

Despite those absences, the Chargers dominated the Dolphins a week ago and made quarterback Tua Tagovailoa appear overmatched, two things few people would have forecast before kickoff.

“Nobody thought we were going to win, right?” linebacker Drue Tranquill said. “In a lot of ways, that was a must win for us, and we didn’t have close to our best recipe. That’s why the locker room afterward was so special.”

The victory — coming on a night when the Chargers were three-point underdogs — notably boosted the team’s postseason possibilities. Entering Week 15, the Chargers were eighth in the AFC.

They had the same 7-6 record as the seventh-seeded New England Patriots and the ninth-seeded New York Jets. The Chargers were a game behind the Dolphins for the No. 6 spot.

Among those four teams, the Chargers have a clear advantage in strength of remaining schedule. They also have improving health — even with James’ injury — and a lot of feel good left over from the Miami victory.

“If we weren’t in the playoff conversation, it doesn’t really matter that we’re getting hot right now,” Tranquill said. “But if we can continue to play good defense, it means everything.”

Chargers linebacker Drue Tranquill lines up before a snap against the Las Vegas Raiders on Dec. 4.

(Rick Scuteri / Associated Press)

What the Chargers did to the Dolphins was what they were expected to do this season. It just took until Week 14.

The franchise invested heavily — in both money and draft resources — to rebuild a defense that in 2021 failed to keep pace with one of the NFL’s top-five offenses.

Injuries didn’t help but a lack of execution more significantly led to a continued inability to stop the run and seize games there to be taken. Then the Chargers grabbed Miami by the throat and wouldn’t let go.

Yes, if they can keep playing defense like this, there’s still time for the 2022 Chargers to fulfill their potential.

“It definitely can carry over if us, as a crew, keep that same urgency,” Gilman said. “Sometimes, with human nature, when good things happen we kind of take a breath. This week, we’re harping on ‘Let’s keep building.’ ”

Despite suffering three consecutive losses, Tennessee figures to make that building process for the Chargers’ defense a bit more complicated. Only four teams run the ball at a higher percentage than the Titans do, their offense typically propped atop the powerful legs of Derrick Henry.

Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry carries the ball against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Dec. 11.

(Peter Joneleit / Associated Press)

The Chargers are tied with the New York Giants at the bottom of the league in yards (5.4) permitted per rush. They are yielding 147 yards a game on the ground, which is 28th.

“Everyone knows they’re a big running team,” Gilman said. “It’s up to us to stop them. I think we’re up for the challenge. We know the narrative that’s out there. But we’re excited about this game.”

The Chargers aren’t only coming off their finest defensive showing of the season but also their most emotional triumph. Their joy in overcoming the Dolphins showed itself most clearly in the actions of Justin Herbert.

Normally as level as the midfield stripe, the team’s third-year quarterback scrambled for a crucial conversion late and then marked the moment by standing and dramatically signaling for a first down.

Later, Herbert entered the locker room carrying a commemorative football he had been presented by NBC during his postgame on-field interview. With the room watching him, he suddenly spiked the thing as cheers erupted.

“I came in there and everyone was kind of looking at me to do something,” Herbert explained. “So I felt like that was the right move. In hindsight, I probably wouldn’t have spiked it… It was a lot of fun. I think the guys enjoyed it.”

Asked why he had second thoughts about what he did, Herbert said: “I didn’t want to disrespect the football or ‘Sunday Night Football.’ It had the logo on there. I meant no disrespect for the Sunday night team.”

Actually, after what felt like a statement win, the exclamation point seemed appropriate.

Now the Chargers must regroup and announce their intentions all over again.