Chargers pull out pre-season win over Arizona
With the NFL season opener merely 11 days away, I am getting excited for the new season. Here's a recap of the Chargers' latest pre-season game vs. Arizona on Aug. 25
Nate Kaeding's 37-yard field goal with six seconds to play lifted the San Diego Chargers to a 33-31 win over the Arizona Cardinals in preseason play.
Matt Trannon's leaping five-yard catch in the left corner of the end zone gave the Cardinals a 31-30 lead with 1:12 to play, but Billy Volek drove the Chargers down the field and Kaeding booted the ball between the uprights for the win.Philip Rivers went 20-for-29 with 282 yards and two touchdowns while Vincent Jackson had four catches for 92 yards and two scored for the Chargers, who are 2-1 in the preseason.
Matt Leinart was 10-for-16 for 196 yards and a touchdown while Anquan Boldin had five receptions for 143 yards and a score for the Cardinals, who have dropped all three of their preseason games.
Neil Rackers' 50-yard field goal just 50 seconds into the contest gave the Cardinals a 3-0 lead, but the Chargers countered on their ensuing possession with a 33-yard field goal from Kaeding.
Leinart hooked up with Boldin on an 80-yard touchdown reception for a 10-3 lead with 6:22 left in the first, but San Diego again countered on its next possession as Darren Sproles' 19-yard touchdown run tied the game heading into the second.
Marcel Shipp's four-yard touchdown run a little over two minutes into the second staked Arizona to a 17-10 lead.
However, Jackson's 33-yard touchdown reception from Rivers tied the game heading into the locker room.
Jackson hauled in a six-yard touchdown pass from Rivers to cap an 11-play, 80- yard drive to give the Chargers their first lead of the game at 24-17 with 8:13 left in the third.
Kaeding padded the lead to 27-17 on a 25-yard field goal with 6:34 left in the third.
J.J. Arrington's one-yard touchdown run with 1:02 left in the third cut Arizona's deficit to 27-24.
Kaeding's 21-yard field goal with 5:16 to play staked San Diego to a 30-24 lead.
