The Chargers are 10-4 after Sunday's 16-13 thrilling win over the Chiefs.

Here are five takeaways from Week 15.

1. Chargers sweep the Chiefs

The script has been flipped.

And the Chargers made a statement while doing so.

The Bolts walked into Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday afternoon and exorcised some demons, securing their first season sweep of the Chiefs since 2013 while also moving to 5-0 in the AFC West this season.

"I thought it was really cool we were able to close out a one-score game like that. How many times played them, we've had those one-score games ... but the way the defense came up and shut them down was awesome to see."

Chargers Head Coach Jim Harbaugh beamed with pride after the Bolts notched their 10th win, meaning the Chargers have now tallied consecutive double-digit win seasons for the first time since 2006 and 2007.

"It's a ball team. I'm starting to think of this as my favorite ball team I've ever been on," Harbaugh said. "And I've been on some good ones, but none better than this ball team.

"And when you have a real ball team, you know that you give it your best, keep getting better and you don't have to do it yourself," Harbaugh added. "Every other guy, there's 53, they go out there and play as one."

As usual, this one came down to the wire between the pair of AFC West rivals and elite quarterbacks,.

Entering this season, the teams had played 10 times since the start of the 2020 season when Herbert was drafted.

Of those 10 games, eight were decided by one possession, with the Chiefs winning seven of them.

Not this year.

The Chargers produced a 27-21 win in Brazil way back in Week 1 before earning a comeback win Sunday. The victory, combined with wins by the Bills, Texans and Jaguars, eliminated the Chiefs from playoff contention at 6-8.

The Bolts trailed by 10 in the second quarter before rallying against their biggest rival.

"We've just continued to be better and better," Herbert said. "That's our focus and I think Coach Harbaugh would say the same thing. We're worried about what's going on in our locker room, our field. We're doing everything we can to get better and better ... and when we do that, we're able to play some pretty good football."

Derwin James, who secured the game-winning interception, added: "I learned what I already knew about this team. They're resilient, they're going to fight. We were down 10 points and nobody was like, 'We're going to lose.' Everybody still believed and we came out and won the game."

Trailing by a field goal at halftime, Harbaugh implored his team to come out and own the second half.

The Chargers responded with a second-half shutout on defense while possessing the ball for nearly 20 minutes on offense. All in a game that was tied for the third-coldest in franchise history.

"It felt like we were going to have to play our best game and I really hoped that," Harbaugh said. "I hoped that we'd come and play our best. At halftime, that's what we said, 'Let's go play our best half of football of the season.' And our guys did."

He later added: "To beat the other team, but beat the crowd … had some elements, got to beat the elements, too. It makes you feel like a man. Really proud of our team."

What's next for the Chargers?

At 10-4, the Chargers playoff odds jumped to 95 percent after the win, according to The Athletic.

But the Bolts know they haven't clinched anything yet with three games to go.

"it puts us at 10-4, 5-0 in the division," James said. "But that don't mean nothing, we still have to come out here, execute, get ready for the next games and keep playing the games we want to play and go do the things we want to do as a team."

Harbaugh added: "[Sunday] was the most important game of the season because it was this game. Now the most important game of the season is the Cowboys. We've got more work to do."

2. The Chargers defense is elite

Are you starting to believe?

Because after a defensive performance like that from Jesse Minter's group, who says the Bolts can't make a deep playoff run?

The Chargers limited the Chiefs to just 239 yards on Sunday, Kansas City's lowest total of the season and fewest yards in a game since Week 9 of the 2021 season.

"When I was a kid, they always said defense wins championships. That's my motto," James said. "I believe in this defense."

Sunday's dominating performance, however, was more than about the stat sheet.

Yes, there were the five sacks on Patrick Mahomes, including two each from Tuli Tuipulotu and Odafe Oweh. (Khalil Mack had the fifth one).

It was more about how the defense looked. And felt. And hit.

The Bolts were the more physical team in Week 15, laying one hit after another as they routinely announced their presence to the Chiefs offense.

"Our guys did a great job playing the defense, playing the scheme," Harbaugh said. "Just playing the play and not giving up."

Tony Jefferson added: "I think when it comes to December, it's kind of mandatory. I've been in the league for a while and I know once it gets to this time of the year, physicality, the most physical team usually wins in this time. It's cold, it's brisk. I was in the AFC North, so I've had a lot of experience with this type of weather, what games be like. It kind of had that feel today, rivals going at it. Physicality I think is on the forefront of everybody's mind, especially December."

The Chargers defense stuffed the run. Take away Mahomes' 12-yard touchdown run and the Chiefs had 37 rushing yards on 20 attempts.

The Chargers defense stopped the pass. Mahomes threw for just 189 yards on 28 attempts and completed just two pass plays that gained 20 or more yards.

And the Chargers defense simply flew around.

Mahomes, known for his scrambling wizardry, routinely tried to get outside the pocket. Mack, Tuipulotu, Oweh, Da'Shawn Hand or someone else was usually in hot pursuit to eliminate any game-breaking plays.

"You've just got so much confidence in them. We knew since camp how good they were going to be and they were great last year as well," Herbert said. "The way they fly around, play for each other, the way they're coached. We're lucky. We're very fortunate to be able to play with them."

Don't look now, but the Chargers defense has allowed fewer than 20 points in the three games following the bye, forcing eight turnovers in a three-game win streak.

If the Bolts get into the playoffs, there's no reason to think the Chargers defense can't lead the way in January.

"They've taken it to a whole other level," Herbert said.

He later added: "You don't have to worry about putting up 30 or 40 points a game. You just have to go out there and do your job, do your best to go score as many points as you can."

3. Henley gets redemption

Revenge was sweet for Daiyan Henley.

A little over a year ago, Henley had a win in his sights in Week 14 in Kansas City. Instead, the linebacker missed a third-down sack on Mahomes that eventually led to a two-point win for the Chiefs after they doinked in a field goal.

Henley was ready this time around.

The third-year linebacker, who notched a key sack on Mahomes back in Week 1, came up with one of the biggest plays of his career Sunday when he intercepted the quarterback in the red zone of a three-point game in the fourth quarter.

"I had a moment back here last season where I just completely regretted my angle on the approach towards Mahomes," Henley recalled. "So, this season I attacked the details. I'm able to get a sack in the first game and a pick in the second game."

He later added: "The Chiefs are a great organization, been dominant throughout the past few years. But it's a turning point and I get to be a part of that."

Henley's pick was a thing of beauty as it harkened back to his college wide receiver days.

In coverage on Kareem Hunt down the right sideline, Henley matched the running back step for step before securing an over-the-shoulder interception.

"I'm going to just be real with you," Henley said. "On defense, every week we talk about catching the ball and we throw the ball at each other, but we never really get over-the-shoulder opportunities. You just don't get them.

"You think about breaking to the flat, getting downhill, that type of thing," Henley continued. "But hand-eye coordination, ball skills, you should never really lose that.

"You got it. You should have it," Henley added. "And so for me, it was an opportunity to show mins and make a play."

The Chargers led 16-13 at the time of Henley's impressive interception, which prevented the Chiefs from tying the game or taking a fourth-quarter lead.

"He got his head around like a DB and making a play on the ball," James said. "That was big because they would've tied the game up right there, but he took points off the board.

"That's a lot different situation going onto the field if the Chiefs are driving on that last drive and the game is tied versus being down three," James said. "It all started with Daiyan."

4. Rookies spark comeback win

Things were looking bleak late for the Chargers offense late in the first half.

With less than a minute to play, the unit had amassed just 70 yards on 26 plays to help the Chiefs build a 10-point lead.

A handful of rookies, led by KeAndre Lambert-Smith, helped turn the tide with a 34-yard kick return that brought the ball to the Chargers 40.

"Shout out to the whole group," Lambert-Smith. "Great blocks and I just hit the seam and got it started."

Two plays later, Herbert connected with rookie wide receiver Tre' Harris on a 37-yard completion down the left sideline.

And three plays after that, Herbert hit Lambert-Smith for a 16-yard touchdown to pull the Chargers within a field goal.

"I had a post route, tried to get in the corner's blind spot, got on his toes, made the stick and tried to make myself available for Justin," Lambert-Smith said of his first NFL touchdown. "He gave me a great ball and I knew I had to make a play."

He later added: "It was a great feeling. I feel like it was a long time coming. I've been waiting for this moment, so I'm just going to enjoy it and try to get more."

Suddenly, there was life for the Chargers offense, which tied the game coming out of the half before before holding on for the win.

And it was sparked by a pair of rookie wide receivers that entered the game with just 21 combined catches, 20 of hwich belonged to Harris.

"I think the drive right before half was huge just to get us back in the game," Herbert said. "For us to put the drive together and some big plays by Dre and Tre', it's good to see from those guys.

"Especially with [Quentin Johnston] down, those guys did a great job stepping up," Herbert added. "They're going to make a lot of plays for us in years to come."

5. A balanced offense

Herbert said he felt the effects of chilly temperatures on his broken left hand before Sunday's game.

Yeah, early on in warmups, I could tell it was getting pretty cold and just not being able to move it as much," Herbert said.

But the Chargers quarterback reiterated that his hand continues to be on the mend.

"I think it's getting better. I had a much better grip on the ball," Herbert said. "I didn't really take any snaps from under center this week but I didn't really feel like I needed to and it wasn't going to be a concern. I went out and felt better and as long as we're going in the right direction, I think that's a good thing."

With Herbert still not at 100 percent, the Chargers produced a balanced attack with exactly 29 passes and 29 rushes.

The Bolts tallied 94 gritty rushing yards on 29 carries, with Omarion Hampton leading the way with 61 yards on 15 carries. Kimani Vidal added 33 yards on a dozen attempts while Herbert had two carries for no yards.

"I thought we did a great job running the ball. Those guys were physical up front and I think we ran the ball pretty well all day," Herbert said. "There's a couple plays I would love to have back, but for the most part I think those guys battled and did a great job up front."

Of note, the Chargers showed their commitment to the run game early on by calling runs on six of their first seven offensive plays.

The Bolts also used heavy formations as Trevor Penning came in as a sixth offensive lineman. Penning did take some snaps at right guard as Austin Deculus was the sixth lineman.