The Los Angeles Chargers did not want a tie to send the game into overtime. Head coach Brandon Staley, known for his aggressive nature, went for a two-point conversion after an Austin Ekeler touchdown led to a thrilling 25-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.
It was a punt fest in the fourth quarter until Justin Herbert and the Chargers’ offense found themselves at the Arizona 38-yard line and just under two minutes to play down 24-17. A touchdown was needed to keep the game alive.
Herbert went to work, finding tight end Gerald Everett for a 10-yard gain, then Keenan Allen on a 16-yard play to put the Chargers in the red zone. From there, Herbert found Ekeler, who stayed close to the goal line with 18 seconds left. It seemed inevitable that Ekeler was going to get the ball back immediately, and he did to make it 24-23.
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Los Angeles Chargers’ Austin Ekeler gains yardage during the second quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
But the Chargers know that the playoff implications came this week. They hit .500 this week and battled for a wild card with the Kansas City Chiefs pulling away in the AFC West.
So Staley set up the 2-point conversion instead of sending it into overtime, and Everett was the man Herbert found in the end zone.
The Cardinals had just 15 seconds to make a miracle happen, but quarterback Kyler Murray, back after dealing with a hamstring injury the past two games, found both of his pass attempts to be incomplete. , and the Chargers robbed Arizona of the win on the road and rejoiced. .
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Herbert finished the game with three touchdown passes, going 35 of 47 for 274 yards and being sacked four times. And he spread the ball with seven Chargers with one catch on this one, none more than Ekeler with 11 for 60 yards.
Allen had the first touchdown catch of the game, getting a ball to just two yards to put the Chargers on the board. On the ensuing drive, DeAndre Carter, the team’s leading receiver with 73 yards on seven receptions, ran for 33 yards to make it 14–10 Los Angeles in the second quarter.
DeAndre Hopkins of the Arizona Cardinals celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the first quarter against the Los Angeles Chargers at State Farm Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona.
(Norma Hall/Getty Images)
Murray and the Cardinals’ offense was working well throughout this game, but turnovers locked them out in the first half. Despite going into halftime leading 17-10, it could have been more if James Conner didn’t fumble on the team’s first drive and Murray didn’t throw an interception that would set up that Carter touchdown for the Chargers.
A missed field goal by Matt Prater would start the second half for Arizona, leading the Chargers to tie it with Cameron Dicker scoring one from 26 yards. However, Murray and the Cardinals would capitalize on an 11-play drive in which Conner stormed into the end zone to make it 24-17.
The bottom line, though, is something the Cardinals have struggled with all season: They can’t draw teams.
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Murray finished with 191 yards on 18-of-29 with two touchdowns and one interception while rushing for 56 yards on seven carries with one rushing touchdown in his return.
Unsurprisingly, his main catcher was DeAndre Hopkins, who showed off his exceptional hands once again with another crazy. one-handed reception. He had 87 yards on four receptions.
Marquise Brown also returned for the Cardinals off injured reserve and had a bigger-than-expected impact with six receptions for 46 yards.
Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers throws a pass in the first quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium on November 27, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona.
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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Moving to 6-5 now, the Chargers will take on their AFC West rival Las Vegas Raiders next Sunday in a crucial road matchup. Meanwhile, the Cardinals, now 4-8, will reflect on things during their next bye week.