»RELATED: View photos from the game
Running back Joe Mixon’s touchdown with 1:50 to play got the Bengals (5-8) within two points, but quarterback Jeff Driskel was sacked on the two-point conversion attempt.
The Chargers (10-3) then recovered the Bengals onside kick and kicked a field goal to make it 26-21.
The Bengals got the ball back on their own 23-yard line with 49 seconds to play and no timeouts, but went nowhere.
Mixon finished with 111 yards rushing and Driskel threw a touchdown pass to John Ross. Randy Bullock booted three field goals.
After they surrendered touchdowns on the first two drives of the game, the Bengals defense limited the Chargers to four Mike Badgley field goals, including a 59-yarder as the first half expired.
The Bengals loss, coupled with the Browns’ win over the Panthers on Sunday, dropped Cincinnati to last in the AFC North. Cleveland is 5-7-1.
The Bengals host the Oakland Raiders next Sunday.
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