CARSON, Calif. _ The Los Angeles Chargers played Sunday with a new offensive coordinator and play-caller.
The switch was so impactful that it apparently even inspired their defense.
In their most complete effort of 2019, the Chargers controlled the ball and the clock and shut down Green Bay's offense in a 26-11 victory at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The performance emerged suddenly for a team that had struggled through the season's first half, going 3-5 and largely underachieving.
The Packers entered Sunday 7-1 and already had won games at Chicago, Dallas and Kansas City.
With Shane Steichen calling plays for the first time in his career, the Chargers' slumbering offense awoke with more creativity, tempo and misdirection.
Steichen, who began the season as the team's quarterbacks coach, took over as interim offensive coordinator last week after Ken Whisenhunt was fired.
Philip Rivers finished 21 of 28 for 294 yards. Melvin Gordon rushed 20 times for 80 yards and two touchdowns and Austin Ekeler added 70 yards on 12 carries.
Mike Williams caught three passes for 111 yards _ his first career 100-yard game _ and Hunter Henry had seven receptions for 84 yards.
The Chargers amassed 160 yards on the ground after failing to rush for as many than 40 yards in four consecutive games.
But just as impressive as the offense's showing was what the Chargers did on defense.
Nearly five minutes into the fourth quarter, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers had passed for only 61 yards and the Packers had just six first downs.
Those numbers swelled on Green Bay's final two possessions as the Chargers went into a more protective shell. By that point, the game basically had been won.
After settling for four Michael Badgley field goals for their first 12 points, the Chargers scored two second-half touchdowns on one-yard runs by Gordon to break away for a 26-3 lead.
The Chargers scored on three of their four first-half possessions but led only 9-0 because they were zero for three in red-zone trips.
Badgley, in his first game of the season after missing eight weeks because of a groin injury, converted field goals of 29, 40 and 34 yards.
Defensively, the Chargers limited the Packers to three first downs and 50 total yards over the first two quarters. That performance marked the first time since 2011 that the Chargers permitted the opposition 50 or fewer yards in a first half.
Joey Bosa ended Green Bay's first possession by sacking Rodgers on third down and Melvin Ingram ended the Packers' second possession the same way.
Because of the offense's ability to keep the ball for more than 18 minutes, the Chargers' defense was on the field for only three series in the first half.
