Despite an inconsistent performance from an offense that mustered just 86 yards in the second half, the Chargers (5-3) had no trouble earning their second straight win on Sunday, defeating the Cleveland Browns 27-10.

What we learned from the game:

The defense is still striving for perfection

Before the game, defensive coaches gave their players a simple challenge. Browns quarterback Jameis Winston has intercepted nearly 100 passes in his career, according to coaches.

“Let’s be the team that gets him there,” linebacker Daiyan Henley said of the message.

The Chargers lacked an interception to get Winston to the hundred mark and settled for three picks on Sunday. Chargers defenders Elijah Molden, Alohi Gilman and Tarheeb Still each intercepted Winston in the second half, with Still being unofficially praised by coach Jim Harbaugh for “one and a half” interceptions when the rookie deflected a pass to Molden in the third quarter.

But the Chargers could have had five interceptions, Henley said. The second-year middle linebacker got his fingertips on a pass in the first quarter and safety Derwin James Jr. dropped a would-be pick that hit his hands.

“We’re not striving for perfection,” said Henley, who led the team with 13 tackles. “We’re trying to get there. We try to be there. So those three were great, next time we’ll get five.”

Read more: The Chargers' offense and defense meet at the halfway point and win convincingly over the Browns

The defensive front also broke through for six sacks, including two and a half from Tuli Tuipulotu and two from Morgan Fox.

“Everyone scored every way they could,” outside linebacker Khalil Mack said. “It’s great to see, man. Total team defense. Dominance today.”

The Chargers improved their turnover margin to plus nine over the course of the season. A ball-hawking defense is a hallmark of defensive coordinator Jesse Minter's scheme, which he inherited when he was a secondary coach with the Baltimore Ravens. Heading into the national championship last season, Michigan led the country with a plus-19 turnover margin.

The run defense rose to the occasion

Although the Chargers kept the New Orleans Saints out of the end zone last week, the 117 yards allowed on the ground left “a bad taste in our mouths,” Mack said.

Last week's result made Cleveland running back Nick Chubb the top defensive priority, especially after the Chargers struggled to tackle a similarly physical running back in Arizona's James Conner.

The Chargers responded by holding Chubb to just 39 yards rushing on 15 carries, and the Browns ran for 79 yards, the third time this season the Chargers held an opponent to fewer than 100 yards rushing.

“We knew the challenge would be to stop 24 this week,” Mack said, “and we overcame another challenge.”

Read more: How small-town Georgia Chargers Ladd McConkey became a rising NFL star

The Chargers allow 107.9 yards rushing per game, which ranks eighth in the NFL. Free-agent additions Poona Ford and Denzel Perryman were key additions to the turnaround of a run defense that ranked 17th on the ground last season and allowed 113.2 rushing yards per game.

Henley's rise in his second season is also a significant rise as a former third-round pick. who made 16 tackles in 15 games last season. now leads the Chargers with 64 total tackles.

Safety Derwin James Jr. spent a significant portion of Sunday's game standing in the slot to help with run support and cover tight end David Njoku, who was held to 29 yards on five catches.

The depth in the secondary — where Molden has solidified the safety position while rookie cornerbacks Still and Cam Hart have played on the outside — has allowed James to showcase his versatility in every facet of defense.

“When you have a lot of depth and a lot of players and don't rely on just one guy, I think you're a better defense,” James said. “You can compete despite injuries and everything because you’re so deep, you’ve got a lot of guys to go into.”

Recipients recover almost completely

Quentin Johnston and Derius Davis announced their return with great words. Johnston, who missed the last two games with an ankle injury, finished his career with 118 yards on four catches and a touchdown. Davis, Johnston's former college teammate at Texas Christian who was sidelined with a hamstring injury, thrilled special teams with a 53-yard punt return that started the Chargers' first touchdown drive.

The Chargers have struggled to assert themselves in the return game this season, averaging just 10.4 yards per punt return and 23.7 yards per kick return. Last year, Davis led the NFL with 16 yards per punt return and earned a spot on the NFL Players' All-Pro team.

“Any time he’s on the field and he can get the ball, something good is going to happen,” Herbert said. “So we definitely missed him. … He just opens up a whole new threat on the punt return.”

Read more: Chargers take Jim Harbaugh's sometimes funny words very seriously

The Chargers' receiving room is still not at full capacity as veteran DJ Chark Jr. has been inactive despite being elevated to the active roster from injured reserve on Saturday. The receiver was questionable due to a groin injury, but had to be activated to the active roster by Tuesday or placed on season-ending injured reserve after initially suffering a hip injury in the preseason.

With Chark's full return imminent, the receivers know they still have a lot to show for it.

“I feel like we’re showing excellence,” Johnston said. “We show most of the game, we just need to come together and put together a complete game.”

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.