Chargers humble Aaron Rodgers and Steelers 25-10 in prime time for 3rd straight win

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The beat-up Los Angeles Chargers laid a beatdown on Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Justin Herbert threw for 220 yards and a touchdown in a 25-10 victory Sunday night, extending the Chargers' winning streak to three despite a battered offensive line.

“It’s a huge win for us,” Herbert said.

After opening the season with three consecutive victories over AFC West rivals, the Chargers (7-3) lost three of four to drop out of first. But they bounced back with wins over Minnesota and Tennessee before humbling Rodgers in prime time to move a game behind first-place Denver.

“I like wins that are decided by great preparation, great strategy, finesse,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said, “but the best to me are the physical ones, won by heart and grit and guts, and that’s what this one was.”

The Chargers kept Rodgers without a touchdown until he hit Roman Wilson for a 27-yard score with 2:57 left. The four-time MVP was 16 of 31 for 161 yards, got sacked three times and threw two interceptions while looking every bit of his 41 years.

“I didn’t play very good at all,” Rodgers said.

Coming off a rousing 27-20 win over AFC South-leading Indianapolis last week, the AFC North-leading Steelers (5-4) have dropped three of four. They were 0 for 9 on third down before converting on their lone TD drive.

“We were bad. We got to find a way to get over on third down,” Rodgers said. “We got to find a way to hit them, because that was just bad all over.”

Pittsburgh's other points came on Chris Boswell's 59-yard field goal in the first.

“We stunk it up tonight,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said. “We'll be back.”

With the Steelers down 5-3, Rodgers threw three straight incompletions, with cornerback Cam Hart breaking up the last one intended for DK Metcalf in the end zone, and the Steelers turned it over on downs early in the fourth.

The Chargers hit right back, with Herbert's 58-yard throw to Ladd McConkey setting up Kimani Vidal's 2-yard touchdown run that extended the lead to 22-3. Vidal had 25 carries for 95 yards and his second rushing score of the season.

Herbert finished 20 of 33 in his fourth straight game with at least 200-plus passing yards and took five sacks. He ran for 19 yards on five carries.

“The defense played incredibly well,” Herbert said, “to be able to get some turnovers like that, a bunch of huge stops and the special teams getting a turnover, too. They made our jobs so much easier.”

The defense has given up 221 yards or less in their last three games.

“We’ve just gotten better tackling,” Harbaugh said. “It’s been crisper, sharper. Guys just doing their job, not trying to do someone else’s job.”

The Steelers led 3-0 when Rodgers fumbled, fell on the ball in the end zone and was tackled by Khalil Mack for a safety in the first. It was Mack's 35th sack with the Chargers, making him just the second player in NFL history to reach that total with three franchises. The Chargers hadn't had a safety since Oct. 23, 2022, against Seattle.

The first touchdown of the game came after Rodgers' pass was intercepted — his sixth of the season — with a throw into the hands of Chargers rookie RJ Mickens. Herbert then hit a wide-open McConkey with a 15-yard TD pass for a 12-3 lead late in the second.

Cameron Dicker kicked field goals of 32, 59 and 42 yards for the Chargers. The 59-yarder tied his record for the longest in team history and extended LA's lead to 15-3 in the third. His 55-yard attempt hit the left upright later in the quarter, leaving him 50 of 53 at SoFi Stadium.

Keenan Allen made two catches to reach 956 with the Chargers, surpassing Hall of Famer Antonio Gates for the most receptions in franchise history.

Pittsburgh CB Darius Slay was evaluated for a concussion in the second quarter and did not return. Los Angeles DL Teair Tart and TE Oronde Gadsden (knee) were hurt in the third.

Steelers: Host Cincinnati next Sunday.

Chargers: At Jacksonville next Sunday.

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) celebrates his sack with linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) during the second half of an NFL football against the Pittsburgh Steelers game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Chargers safety RJ Mickens (27) celebrates his interception during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) is sacked by Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu (45) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)

Los Angeles Chargers linebacker Khalil Mack (52) forces Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) to fumble during the first half of an NFL football game Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

Los Angeles Chargers cornerback Cam Hart (20) and linebacker Daiyan Henley (0) celebrate after breaking up a touchdown pass during the second half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday, Nov. 9, 2025, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jessie Alcheh)

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia (AP) — Slovenia’s parliament on Friday appointed right-wing populist politician Janez Jansa as the new prime minister, in a shift for the small European Union country that was previously run by a liberal government.

Lawmakers backed Jansa in a 51-36 vote in the 90-member assembly. The new prime minister will need to come back to Parliament within the next 15 days for another vote to confirm his future Cabinet.

Jansa's appointment concludes a postelection stalemate in Slovenia after a parliamentary ballot two months ago ended practically in a tie. Former liberal Prime Minister Robert Golob's Freedom Movement won by a thin margin but he was unable to muster a parliamentary majority.

Jansa and his populist Slovenian Democratic Party signed a coalition agreement this week with several right-wing groups. The new government also has the backing of a nonestablishment Truth party that first emerged as an anti-vaccination movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The new term in office will be the fourth for the veteran Slovenian politician. Jansa, 67, is an admirer of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a close ally of former populist Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who was defeated in a landslide election last month.

Jansa in a speech listed the economy, fight against corruption and red tape, and decentralization as key goals of the future government. He has promised to lower taxes for the rich and support private education and healthcare.

Critical of the previous government's alleged “inefficiency," Jansa said the new government will turn Slovenia into “a country of opportunity, prosperity and justice, where each responsible citizen will feel safe and accepted."

Like Orban, Jansa was staunchly anti-immigrant during the huge migration wave to Europe in 2015. Also like Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of clamping down on democratic institutions and press freedoms during a previous term in 2020-2022. This led to protests at the time, and scrutiny from the European Union.

Golob in his speech described Jansa as “the greatest threat to Slovenia’s sovereignty and democracy."

Alleging that Jansa had threatened to arrest him, Golob said Jansa's "idea of democracy is that anyone who dares speak a word against you deserves only the worst.”

Jansa, a supporter of Israel, also has been a stern critic of the Golob government's 2024 recognition of a Palestinian state.

The vote on March 22 was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption. The around 2 million people in the Alpine nation are deeply divided between liberals and conservatives.

Janez Jansa, center, addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa arrives for a session of the Slovenian Parliament in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)

Janez Jansa addresses the Slovenian Parliament during a session in Ljubljana, Slovenia, Friday, May 22, 2026, before appointing him as prime minister, ending a political deadlock after tight elections in March. (AP Photo/Igor Kupljenik)