Dec 5, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) throws a pass against the Los Angeles Chargers in the first half at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

Grit: It’s going to sound corny or old school, but the Bengals showed a ton of it. That was headed up by Burrow, playing with what looked like a broken finger on his throwing hand. They overcame it…Splash plays: The Bengals defense just couldn’t guard the Chargers deep in the first half, getting routinely beat down the field. That got cleaned up in the second half as the unit generated more pressure, but was the main reason the Bengals were behind by so much…Turnovers: The Cincinnati defense forced three turnovers while blazing through the comeback bid, including two forced fumbles. But they also turned it over four times, most of them in critical situations.

Dec 5, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase (1) with the catch during the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

…Joe Mixon, with his team only down 24-22 after a furious comeback, fumbled and the Chargers returned it for a touchdown. Cincinnati wasn’t able to overcome it on either side of the ball, for the most part.

Dec 5, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) hands off the ball to running back Joe Mixon (28) in the first half against the Los Angeles Chargers at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

QB Joe Burrow: 24/40, 300 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT

RB Joe Mixon: 19 rushes, 54 yards, 1 TD

WR Tee Higgins: 9 catches, 138 yards, 1 TD

WR Tyler Boyd: 5 catches, 85 yards

LB Germaine Pratt: 9 tackles, 1 FF

CB Chidobe Awuzie: 1 INT

Edge Trey Hendrickson: 4 tackles, 1 sack

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow throws before an NFL football game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

The Bengals suffered the following setbacks:

• CB Chidobe Awuzie left and was doubtful to return
• LB Markus Bailey didn’t return
• LB Logan Wilson needed a cart to leave the field
• RB Joe Mixon had an injury scare
• QB Joe Burrow suffered a finger injury he played through

Cincinnati Bengals’ Germaine Pratt (57) reacts after a tackle during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

— Bengals punched in the mouth on the game’s opening drive, giving up nine plays, 55 yards and a score. Defense held on third down in the redzone but Chargers were aggressive and got six.

— Cincinnati’s best offensive players made critical mistakes on two would-be touchdowns in the first quarter. Jonah Williams let up a sack as Burrow was about to find Chase for a touchdown, resulting in a lost fumble. Chase later dropped a touchdown pass…that went into the arms of a defender for an interception.

— Down 0-16 at that point, the team lost defensive leader Logan Wilson to a shoulder injury and he needed a cart to leave the field.

— Jessie Bates — still vying for that big-money extension — then gave up a deep passing touchdown, which made it 24-0.

— Bengals couldn’t do right consistently in the first half. After a touchdown to Tee Higgins, Bengals called timeout before a two-point conversion, somehow got a delay of game out of the timeout, then decided to kick the extra point, which they missed. What?

— Bates hit on a bit of redemption with a turnover. Chidobe Awuzie did the same before the half. Both of those, though, were overshadowed by Joe Burrow’s finger injury.

— Burrow stayed in the game, even putting his shoulders down while trying to pick up first downs as a rusher.

— Another forced fumble with the game at 24-16 gave the Bengals the ball back. To the defense’s credit, it never stopped fighting (as expected).

— Joe Mixon, who left with that serious injury scare, returned and scored to make it 24-22.

— Bengals pass-rush started dominating this game. Trey Hendrickson was doing whatever he wanted and it had Justin Herbert seriously rattled.

— Joe Mixon’s fumble that went back for a touchdown put the nail in this one from a momentum perspective. The Chargers got the ball back again after that defensive score and marched down the field with ease to make it a blowout again.

— Bengals fought back yet again, only for Burrow to force a bad throw and get picked off in the endzone to effectively end it. A fitting theme to cap off the day, as key mistakes at the worst possible times decided the game.

Cincinnati Bengals’ Chidobe Awuzie (22) makes an interception against Los Angeles Chargers’ Josh Palmer (5) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)

The Bengals stay home and welcome the surging San Francisco 49ers to town.

It’s an important homestand, though once again an NFC opponent. The key will be getting healthy for that one — then staying that way before finishing the season against four more AFC opponents.