Chargers rue missed opportunities in disappointing 17-15 loss to Cardinals
AP Sports Writer
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Justin Herbert threw for more than 300 yards, the defense held its ground outside of a few key plays and kicker Cameron Dicker had a perfect night.
The combination should have been enough for the Los Angeles Chargers to win, yet they found a way to leave the desert with a disappointing loss.
Plagued by missed opportunities all game, the Chargers lost 17-15 to the Arizona Cardinals on Chad Ryland’s 32-yard field goal as time expired on Monday night.
“It was a game of near misses and close calls,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said. “It came down to a lot of details.”
The Chargers (3-3) got very little from the running game, stuffed all night while gaining 59 yards on 22 carries against the NFL’s fourth-worst rushing defense.
Herbert tried to make up for it, throwing for 349 yards on 27-of-39 passing while hitting nine different receivers.
The problem: finishing drives.
The Chargers entered the game 28th in the NFL in the red zone and made it worse by repeatedly stalling drives.
Los Angeles had 395 total yards and crossed into Arizona’s end eight times in nine drives, yet stretched their run of possessions without scoring a touchdown to 15 straight.
Dicker did his part by making five field goals, including a team record-tying 59-yarder in the first quarter and a 40-yarder with 1:58 left in the game.
The Chargers also lost two key fumbles after turning it over twice in the first seven games.
Defensive lineman Teair Tart had an interception on Arizona’s first drive, but Cardinals running back James Conner tracked him down from behind and stripped the ball, recovered by the Cardinals (3-4). Receiver Jalen Reagor had the other after hauling in a 41-yard catch, losing the ball at Arizona’s 3-yard line into the end zone for a touchback.
“We did a lot of good things, but we’ve got to score points in the red zone,” Herbert said. “We’ve got an amazing kicker, but we’ve got to do a better job for our defense, our special teams and score in the red zone.”
The Chargers’ defense held its ground — except at key moments.
Agile Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray eluded Los Angeles’ pass rush all night, hitting Chris Dortch on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, breaking off a 44-yard scramble for another score early in the fourth.
Murray was held to 145 yards on 14-of-26 passing, but ran for 64 yards on six carries.
The Chargers took the lead on Dicker’s last field goal, yet couldn’t prevent the Cardinals from marching down the field for the winning kick.
Los Angeles cornerback Cam Hart was called for unnecessary roughness early in the drive for a hit to the head and Murray picked the Chargers apart with throws over the middle. Conner, who ran for 101 yards on 19 carries, turned a short catch into a 33-yard gain to the Los Angeles’ 22 and Murray had to simply take a couple of knees to set up Ryland’s winning kick.
“You’ve just got to build a callous,” Harbaugh said. “There’s a taste in the mouth and you’ve just got to suck it up.”
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