Chargers’ defense folds in critical moment during loss to Cardinals
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Jim Harbaugh paced the sideline with his hands on his hips. He stomped on the grass at State Farm Field as the Arizona Cardinals ran the clock down. The Chargers head coach had no other answers.
The Chargers’ top-ranked defense folded in the most critical moment, losing 17-15 to the Arizona Cardinals on Monday as the Cardinals (3-4) easily moved into field goal position in the final two minutes.
Chargers rookie cornerback Cam Hart was called for unnecessary roughness while breaking up a second-down pass with 1:51 remaining, moving the Cardinals to their 45-yard line.
After catching a short pass, Cardinals running back James Conner ran through two tackles on the next play, stretching what should have been a modest gain into a 33-yard back-breaker.
Chad Ryland kicked the game-winning field goal five plays later as time expired.
Check out the game summary from the Chargers’ loss Monday.
Cardinals defeat Chargers on a walk-off field goal as time expires
🏈 Cardinals 17, Chargers 15 — FINAL
Chad Ryland kicked a 32-yard field goal as time expired to lift Arizona (3-4) to victory over a stunned Chargers team.
On Arizona’s final drive, Chargers cornerback Cam Hart was flagged for a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty to move the ball to midfield. James Conner then moved the Cardinals into field goal range when he picked up 33 yards on a run-and-catch, evading two Chargers tackles.
With the Chargers (3-3) out of timeouts, the Cardinals ran the clock down to two seconds before Ryland’s winning kick.
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert completed 27 of 39 passes for 349 yards, but couldn’t find the end zone. The Chargers’ best chance to score a touchdown came in the first quarter when Jalen Reagor caught a 43-yard pass at the goal line before the ball was knocked out of his arms, falling into the end zone before bouncing out of bounds.
Cameron Dicker kicked five field goals, accounting for all of the Chargers’ points. He tied a franchise record with his 59-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Chargers retake lead on Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal
🏈 Chargers 15, Cardinals 14 — 1:54 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 40-yard field goal with 1:54 left in the fourth quarter to give the Chargers a one-point lead late in regulation, capping what might have been the most impressive drive so far by the Chargers despite not finding the end zone.
Dicker is five for five on field-goal attempts.
Justin Herbert and the Chargers drove 77 yards on 15 plays after starting from their one-yard line, taking more than eight minutes off the clock.
The Chargers kept the scoring drive alive when Hassan Haskins converted on a fourth-and-one run. A 21-yard reception by Ladd McConkey and a 12-yard catch by Will Dissly helped fuel the drive.
It’ll be up to the Chargers’ defense to preserve the lead. Arizona has three timeouts, the Chargers two.
Cameron Dicker kicks his fourth field goal, cutting into Cardinals’ lead
🏈 Cardinals 14, Chargers 12 — 12:09 left in the fourth quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked his fourth field goal of the game — this time a 47-yarder — to cut into the Cardinals’ lead.
The field goal ended another Chargers drive that couldn’t complete the task against the Arizona defense after going 41 yards on six plays. Justin Herbert completed a 31-yard pass to Stone Smartt, but back-to-back drops by Smartt and Will Dissly in Arizona territory halt the drive.
Herbert has completed 21 of 31 passes for 281 yards. J.K. Dobbins has 37 yards in 11 carries.
Arizona’s Kyler Murray scores on 44-yard touchdown run
🏈 Cardinals 14, Chargers 9 — 14:14 left in the fourth quarter
Kyler Murray broke out of the pocket and sprinted around the Chargers’ defense to find daylight and score a 44-yard touchdown, putting Arizona back into the lead.
The play capped a speedy four-play, 70-yard drive that included a 15-yard reception by Michael Wilson.
It was Murray’s 51st career rushing touchdown and it was the longest run allowed by the Chargers this season.
Chargers take the lead on Cameron Dicker’s third field goal
Chargers 9, Cardinals 7 — END OF THE THIRD QUARTER
The Chargers retook the lead on a 28-yard field goal by Cameron Dicker after being thwarted in the red zone by the Arizona defense again.
Arizona cornerback Garrett Williams broke up a Justin Herbert pass intended for tight end Will Dissly on third down, leading to the field-goal try.
The Chargers fared better earlier in 10-play, 45-yard drive, with Simi Fehoko making a drive-sustaining, 25-yard catch on third down. J.K. Dobbins picked up a first down on a 14-yard catch to put the Chargers on the Arizona 11.
Justin Herbert was visibly upset after the Chargers had to call a timeout on first down following a miscommunication that nearly led to a delay of game penalty. Dante Stills then sacked Herbert on second down to complicate the Chargers’ efforts to find the end zone.
Dicker has accounted for all of the Chargers’ points.
Chargers just say no to Cardinals’ tush push
🏈 Cardinals 7, Chargers 6 — 6:09 left in the third quarter
The Chargers’ defense continues to be the team’s strength, and that was on vivid display in the third quarter when they stopped consecutive Arizona tush pushes on third and fourth downs to put the ball back in Justin Herbert’s hands at their 45-yard line.
Linebacker Khalil Mack played the decisive force on the fourth-down stop, leaping over the line to wrap up Arizona quarterback Clayton Tune.
The gritty defensive stand came after the Cardinals took advantage of a 22-yard pass interference penalty on cornerback Cam Hart and a pair of 13-yard runs by James Conner to move the ball to midfield.
Promising-looking drive sputters for Chargers in third quarter
🏈 Cardinals 7, Chargers 6 — 10:25 left in the third quarter
The Chargers’ first possession of the second half was going well — unitl it wasn’t.
J.K. Dobbins picked up a first down on an 11-yard run — his longest carry of the game before Joshua Palmer caught a 13-yard pass.
But an offensive holding penalty and a sack on Justin Herbert by Arizona defensive tackle Naquan Jones ended the drive at midfield.
In addition, a team trainer was looking at Herbert’s right thumb and the quarterback appeared to be grimacing as he sat on the bench after the possession.
Cardinals cling to one-point lead over Chargers at halftime
🏈 Cardinals 7, Chargers 6 — HALFTIME
Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker made a 50-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to make it a one-point game. It’s the first time since Week 1 the Chargers have trailed at halftime.
The Chargers offense has struggled against the Arizona defense, particularly on the ground, being held to 25 yards rushing.
Justin Herbert managed to drive the Chargers 57 yards on nine plays at the end of the first half. But as time ran out, he was sacked by Arizona defensive end Ben Stille on second down, forcing them to spike the ball to bring out Dicker for the field-goal try.
Herbert has completed 13 of 18 passes for 172 yards. Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins has been held to 14 yards on six carries and tight end has six catches for 59 yards.
Arizona quarterback Kyle Murray has completed nine of 16 passes for 74 yards. James Conner has 46 yards in 10 carries for the Cardinals.
Cardinals take lead on Greg Dortch touchdown catch
🏈 Chargers 7, Chargers 3 — 5:40 left in the second quarter
Cardinals wide receiver Greg Dortch caught a five-yard touchdown pass from Kyler Murray to cap an impressive 10-play, 79-yard march by the Arizona offense.
James Conner helped spearhead the effort, catching an 18-yard pass and busting out a 14-yard run to fuel the drive.
Murray has completed seven of 13 passes for 59 yards and Conner has 52 yards on nine carries.
Chargers take lead on Cameron Dicker’s 59-yard field goal
🏈 Chargers 3, Cardinals 0 — 11:59 left in the second quarter
Cameron Dicker kicked a 59-yard field goal — and made it look easy — to give the Chargers an early lead. Dicker tied the record for longest field goal in Chargers history, a feat that earned him a hug from coach Jim Harbaugh on the sideline.
The field goal capped a 13-play, 49-yard drive that started fast before sputtering behind Justin Herbert’s first two incompletions of the game.
Herbert has completed eight of 10 passes for 113 yards.
Chargers trying to build momentum in scoreless contest
🏈 Chargers 0, Cardinals 0 — 13:38 left in the second quarter
Justin Herbert and the Chargers are trying to build some momentum against the Cardinals defense, but it’s been a slough. Still, had it not been for a critical turnover at the goal line, the Chargers probably would be leading.
A fumble into the end zone by Jalen Reagor ruined a 43-yard catch by the wide receiver that would have put the Chargers on the doorstep of a touchdown. Despite the setback, Herbert has shined so far, completing six of six passes for 101 yards.
J.K. Dobbins has struggled to gain traction, with 11 yards on four carries. Tight end Will Dissly has been the primary recipient of Herbert’s strong start, making four catches for 50 yards.
The Chargers’ vaunted defense has held Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray to 18 yards on two-of-eight passing.
Fumble into end zone thwarts prime Chargers scoring chance
🏈 Chargers 0, Cardinals 0 — 5:46 left in the first quarter
A prime scoring opportunity for the Chargers was thwarted when Jalen Reagor fumbled the ball into the end zone before it bounced out of bounds following a 43-yard catch. Cardinals cornerback Starling Thomas punched the ball out of Reagor’s hands after the wide receiver made a wide-open catch.
It was the third turnover in what has been a sloppy start for both teams.
The Cardinals were driving on their opening possession before some double-turnover chaos intervened. Khalil Mack instigated it, getting a hand on a pass by Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray that led to an interception by defensive lineman Teair Tart.
The Chargers defensive lineman ran the ball back about four yards before it was slapped out of his arms and kicked down the field. It was recovered by Arizona wide receiver Michael Wilson, but not before it bounced about 18 yards to the Arizona 28-yard line.
Inside the unhealthy thoughts of stressed NFL head coaches: ‘This job can kill you’
While the Chargers were warming up in Denver last Sunday, Jim Harbaugh felt his heart racing. He knew that feeling, having experienced it as a player in 1999 and as an NFL head coach 13 years later.
The two previous episodes led to medical procedures on his heart. His third bout, which began to surface the Saturday night before the Broncos game, had the Chargers coach dipping into the blue medical tent and eventually heading to the visitors’ locker room for an EKG to check his heart and an IV to replenish his fluids.
At 60, the sinewy Harbaugh is as fit as any head coach in the game, and his heart issues — diagnosed as atrial flutter — are not indisputably attributable to the stress of the game.
Three days after the game, the coach got good news from his doctors.
“The heart of an athlete was the direct quote from my cardiologist,” Harbaugh told reporters, smiling and flexing at the lectern.
“So that made me feel good. Said the stress test was really good, too. I think he used the word incredible. … Said my stamina was incredible and got stronger as it got more stressed. Back in rhythm.”
How it works: The genius behind Jesse Minter and his top-ranked Chargers defense
Joey Bosa did more than just make the play. He helped call it.
Working with first-year defensive coordinator Jesse Minter, the Chargers’ star outside linebacker suggested the perfectly timed stunt that led to Bosa’s first sack of the season in the Chargers’ opening game. In his first opportunity to prove himself as an NFL play caller, Minter had no problem accepting feedback from his veteran players.
It only made the celebration that much sweeter.
Minter is acing his first impression as an NFL play caller by emphasizing teamwork beyond just the field. In meeting rooms, assistant coaches play major roles in reinforcing the defense’s top priorities. On the sidelines, players are free to suggest in-game adjustments. On the field, it adds up to the best defense in the NFL.
Chargers vs. Cardinals inactives for Monday night
Here are the players who will not be suiting up for the Chargers and Cardinals on Monday night:
Jim Harbaugh added this detail in the Chargers locker room. It’s unifying the team
Five stars here. Three over there. And two more next door.
This isn’t the Hollywood Walk of Fame but the locker room at the Chargers’ practice facility. Above every locker stall is a placard that’s adorned with a name, number and college alma mater, but also the player’s high school and rank as a recruit.
For instance, quarterback Justin Herbert was a 3-Star prospect out of Sheldon High in Eugene, Ore.
Safety Derwin James Jr. was even more decorated, a 5-Star recruit out of Haines City High in the heart of Florida.
Chargers rookies are making new GM’s first draft class a smash hit
It was the moment Cam Hart worked and waited for: his first NFL start.
Lining up at cornerback against the Denver Broncos last Sunday, the Chargers rookie didn’t consider the milestone a mission accomplished. Instead, it was just a long-awaited beginning.
“I was pissed off for that moment,” Hart said. “I expected that to come a lot earlier. … It was more so like, a ‘pissed off for greatness’ type of thing.”
Chargers vs. Arizona Cardinals: How to watch, prediction and betting odds
If the Chargers struggled to contain Denver’s rookie quarterback Bo Nix, Kyler Murray easily could turn into a nightmare.
The Arizona Cardinals’ dynamic dual-threat quarterback is the top concern of the Chargers’ top-ranked defense for Monday’s prime-time matchup in State Farm Stadium as the Cardinals (2-4) are trying to shake off a rut of three losses in four weeks.
A 50-yard touchdown run from Murray provided a highlight in the Cardinals’ lone victory in the last month as he spurred Arizona to a thrilling 24-23 win in San Francisco in Week 5.
Along with running back James Conner, Murray leads an offense that’s tied for second in the league with 5.3 yards rushing per carry. Conner ranks eighth in the NFL in rushing with 403 yards, immediately behind Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins, who has 438 yards in one fewer game.