Chargers’ next challenge is proving they’re ready for primetime

The Chargers have won three consecutive games, four out of five and six of nine overall this season. They have the NFL’s stingiest defense, a playmaking quarterback who is heating up at just the right moment with his arm and his legs and a coach whose reputation for winning precedes him.

So, it wasn’t surprising that the powers that be shifted the Chargers’ game Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at SoFi Stadium in the primetime slot. The Chargers are suddenly, and all at once, one of the league’s more compelling stories at midseason, a team on the rise.

But, how good are they, really?

“I think we are improving, but I wouldn’t say I’m excited,” outside linebacker Joey Bosa said, speaking for the Chargers’ defense, which is giving up only 13.1 points per game. “I think we have a lot of work to do. I want to do a good job of voicing that to the defense, that we really haven’t done anything so far. We have a lot of big games ahead of us and I don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves.”

Since their bye week in the first week of October, the Chargers have defeated the Denver Broncos, New Orleans Saints, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans and lost to the Arizona Cardinals. Of the Chargers’ last five opponents, only the Broncos had a winning record at the time of their meeting.

The Titans were 2-6 before the Chargers defeated them 27-17.

The Browns were 2-6 before the Chargers defeated them 27-10.

The Saints were 2-5 before the Chargers defeated them 26-8.

The Cardinals were 2-4 before defeating the Chargers 17-15.

The Broncos were 3-2 before the Chargers defeated them 23-16.

But, how good are they, really?

“A lot of things to clean up,” Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter said of their victory over the Titans, a game in which they never really appeared to be in serious jeopardy after halftime. “Happy with the results. So many things from that game to get better at. Looking forward to that.”

Up next: The Bengals, another team with a losing record.

Cincinnati (4-6) has a different look than other recent opponents, however. For starters, quarterback Joe Burrow leads the NFL in passing through 10 games with 2,672 yards and has the league’s top receiver in Ja’Marr Chase as his top target. Chase leads the league with 981 yards receiving.

The Chargers haven’t faced anyone who compares to Burrow since they lost 17-10 to Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 4. Mahomes didn’t exactly shred the Chargers’ defense, completing a respectable 19 of 29 passes for 245 yards and one touchdown and one interception.

Since that game, the Chargers have faced a who’s who of quarterbacks.

As in, who?

Bo Nix of the Broncos is a rookie from the University of Oregon.

Kyler Murray of the Cardinals is well-established if not hugely successful.

Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener of the Saints are backups to Derek Carr.

Jameis Winston of the Browns is quite like Murray.

Will Levis of the Titans isn’t well-established or hugely successful.

Now, here comes Burrow.

“Sleepless nights,” Minter said of preparing to face the Bengals’ offense. “Ja’Marr Chase, Joe Burrow, you know, that tandem, I mean, I don’t know if anybody is playing better. A lot of receivers, it’s, ‘Hey, he’s great at the short routes, he’s great at the intermediate routes, he’s great at catching the deep ball.’ (Chase) is really good at all three, really elite at all three.”

Until a few weeks ago, it might have been too much to expect Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert to keep pace with an opponent’s standout offense, and not only because they hadn’t faced one for a while. But his badly sprained right ankle has healed and he’s regained his touch and his mobility.

Herbert threw for 237 yards or more in four consecutive games before dropping to 164 against the Titans last Sunday, as the Chargers shifted into a ball-control offense after building a commanding lead by the fourth quarter. He completed 14 of 18 passes and had a seventh straight game without an interception.

“I think the main thing is his ankle,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “He was playing for a good two- to three-week stretch there and his right ankle was 20%, 50%. He’s the only person who plays on a high ankle sprain. I don’t think there’s anything more to be said there. It was an ankle-and-a-half at best.”

Herbert and the Chargers met that challenge, but here comes another, bigger one.

CHARGERS (6-3) vs. BENGALS (4-6)

When: 5:20 p.m. Sunday

Where: SoFi Stadium

TV/radio: KNBC (Ch.4); 98.7 FM; 105.5 FM/94.3 FM (Spanish)