Chargers 27, Chiefs 21
THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.
Q. Can you put this win into perspective. Haven't beaten this team in seven tries?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, it's a big win. You can't go 2-0 unless you're 1-0. Our guys really prepared for it. They worked extremely hard. Just throughout the course of the game could tell that our guys weren't going to be denied.
We were definitely playing against a team that that's how they played. They're not going to be denied. Two opposing wills, two opposing forces. We came out on top.
Q. Jim, what did you think of Justin's third and 14 scramble to clinch the game?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, I thought it was a great job, a great job by Tre Pipkins, too, on the edge. It's a really hard thing for a tackle. When the edge rusher sees the quarterback moving, that's when you get the holding penalty. Mike Devlin teaches them to let go when they have that reaction.
Tre did a great job. I was really proud of Tre on that. Then Justin. Justin had an incredible game. Also Tre Pipkin's birthday today. Happy birthday to Tre.
Justin was phenomenal today in every way. Pinpoint accuracy. I thought he did a great job with his legs, running there at the end, sealing the game. Just overall toughness. I mean, just complete stalwart. Took some big hits. Gave a few shots himself.
Incredible quarterback play today.
Q. Can you talk about the team's ability to respond. After every touchdown or big play the Chiefs had, you came back.
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, we were talking on the sideline. I mean, the Chiefs, they weren't going to give us the game. We were going to have to win. We were going to have to win it.
Our guys, as you said, responded every single time. I'm glad you mentioned that. Even before the half, I was trying to run the ball, get the play clock down to 13 seconds. We called an outside run. None of us smart coaches relayed the message to our young running back to stay inbounds.
Not his fault at all. That's on me. I told him. I told the guys that halftime. Even after the game, I said, Had I just told him, we would have won the game.
They said, Hey, we did win the game.
Okay, that's because you guys had our backs and responded.
That was a great job by our players.
On the fourth and one, in our territory, give the ball to a Omarion Hampton. He was not going to be denied.
It's monumental. It's monumental. September 5th will go down in some Charger lore, in my opinion. It was a big win.
Q. What can you tell me about Joe Alt's performance in the game?
JIM HARBAUGH: Who is that?
Q. Joe Alt.
JIM HARBAUGH: I thought our entire offensive line had a great game. Joe Alt, maybe the best. Most improved player on our team. He was so good last year. Been noticing it for a while. He had a great game.
I thought Brad Bozeman had a great game. Tre Pipkins had a great game. Zion Johnson played great. Mehki Becton, it wasn't a Playoff game, but he was ill. Kind of Michael Jordan to me, when he had his 103-degree temperature. Mekhi is ill. He got the adrenaline pumping. Said he was going to play. He went. He just gave it everything he had.
There was a couple plays where he had to come out. Jamaree Salyer, those two did some rotating in there. Both did a great job.
Just thrilled with the offensive line play, yeah. Some real gravel in the gut. Proud of 'em.
Q. Last year we saw the players complaining about the noise from the crowd, don't know when to cheer, when to scream. You were the home team this game, but we saw in the crowd the majority of Chiefs supporters. What went through your mind when you saw all the red waves? How do you see the reaction from the players playing hostile atmosphere?
JIM HARBAUGH: I mean, there was no complaints at all. Thought the atmosphere was great. The field was great. Everything was A plus plus. It's been a great trip for us.
I mean, Brazil has a real good place in my heart from now on. Like I said, I'll remember this September 5th game, win 'cause it's special. I mean, a big part of it's special because it was right here, right here in Brazil.
You feel more like a man when you compete against a team at the highest level, you prevail. Yeah, the more travel, the longer the travel, the better it makes for the feeling of breaking through, overcoming.
But it was awesome. It was awesome. This is the first time I've ever gone out through a field pregame and just took a video because it was such a good atmosphere. I wanted to send it back to Sarah and the kids. That's the first time I ever took a video. Little hairs on my arm were standing up. It was great all the way. A plus plus.
Q. Last year the Philadelphia Eagles won their first game here in Brazil, won the Super Bowl. Now you beat the Chiefs in the beginning of the season. Is it difficult to think a better way to begin the season than the way you begin here?
JIM HARBAUGH: It's great. It's a great way to start the season. I mean, you can't be 2-0 unless you're 1-0. I though it's maybe only 5% of our season. I lost my (indiscernible) in math right after long division. I would have to have the pen and paper out. Somewhere around that 5% area.
We'll move on with humble hearts, but we're going to have a happy flight. We're going to have a happy flight back to Los Angeles, California.
Q. Justin ended the game with a scramble for the first down. When he's making plays like that, how dangerous are you offensively?
JIM HARBAUGH: A lot. He does everything great. There was two great quarterbacks out there tonight. No turnovers. Two great teams. Two opposing wills. It was a great challenge. Our guys were ready, willing and able for it.
But yeah, Justin on two healthy ankles, full speed. I mean, he's hard to deal with. He's a problem.
Q. What did you like about the effort that your defense played with tonight, given it obviously will take a full 60 minutes against that offense?
JIM HARBAUGH: I thought our defense played tremendous. Patrick Mahomes made some incredible plays. We knew that they weren't going to give us the game. We were going to have to go win it. Our guys were up for the challenge. Just played really good football.
You got to play good football against the Chiefs, and we did.
Q. We saw Herbert had a great time in the pocket. How did you improve the defensive line to this great level?
JIM HARBAUGH: Yeah, just a lot of credit to the offensive line and the protection. Omarion Hampton. Najee in the back. Tight ends were involved. I want to talk about Quentin Johnson, Ladd McConkey, Keenan Allen, Will Dissly, Tyler Conklin. Our guys were getting separation and they were running good and catching the football.
It looked good. The passing game looked good. That's a real strength for us. Our guys executed at a really high level tonight.
Wasn't it cool to have Kennan Allen and Ladd and Quentin (smiling)? Great game.
We'll move on with humble hearts. Game two up next. I just want to say how much we appreciate the hospitality we received here in Sao Paulo.
THE MODERATOR: Thank you, coach.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports