GLENDALE, Ariz. — Kyler Murray showcased his explosiveness by rushing for a 44-yard touchdown, propelling the Arizona Cardinals to a last-minute 17-15 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night. The nail-biting finish culminated with Chad Ryland successfully converting a 32-yard field goal as the game clock expired.
In a back-and-forth contest, Cameron Dicker extended his standout performance with his fifth field goal of the evening, this time from 40 yards, putting the Chargers ahead 15-14 with just 1:54 remaining. However, the Cardinals (3-4) quickly crafted a response, thanks in part to a costly unnecessary roughness penalty on Cam Hart that gifted Los Angeles (3-3) with 15 extra yards.
Arizona capitalized on the momentum by turning to James Conner, who powered through for a formidable 33-yard run, ultimately leading to Ryland’s field goal and a raucous celebration from the home crowd. Conner concluded the game with an impressive total of 101 rushing yards. The Chargers’ offense faced its own frustrations, gaining 395 yards yet failing to penetrate the end zone. Quarterback Justin Herbert had a solid outing, completing 27 of 39 attempts for 349 yards.
Dicker’s contributions were significant, hitting field goals from distances of 59, 50, 28, 47, and 40 yards, with the 59-yarder matching a franchise record for the longest field goal.
Murray’s highlight moment of the night came early in the fourth quarter. He executed a dazzling run to the left before accelerating past safety Junior Colston, ultimately achieving a 14-9 lead with his touchdown. This remarkable run marked Murray’s second lengthy scoring dash in three weeks, having previously accomplished a 50-yard run against the San Francisco 49ers. Furthermore, it signified his 20th career game featuring both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown.
Through the game, Murray completed 14 of 26 passes, accumulating 145 yards along with one touchdown and one interception. Earlier in the match, Dicker had already given the Chargers a 9-7 edge with a 28-yard field goal, seizing possession after stopping Cardinals’ backup quarterback Clayton Tune in two consecutive crucial short-yardage situations.
In the second quarter, Arizona surged ahead when Murray connected with Greg Dortch for a 5-yard scoring pass, taking a 7-6 lead into halftime. This marked Dortch’s first touchdown reception of the season. Dicker’s earlier 59-yard field goal was particularly noteworthy, establishing a new personal best.
Both teams had opportunities that slipped through their fingers early in the contest. Murray’s initial pass of the game was deflected by Khalil Mack and intercepted by Teair Tait. Although Tait had a clear path ahead, he was stripped of the ball by Conner, allowing Arizona’s Michael Wilson to recover.
On Los Angeles’ opening drive, Herbert connected with Jalen Reagor for a lengthy 42-yard gain, only for Reagor to be stripped by Arizona’s Starling Thomas, causing the ball to roll into the end zone for a touchback.
Injury updates revealed that the Chargers were without outside linebacker Joey Bosa (hip) and tight end Hayden Hurst (groin), while the Cardinals lost cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (neck) in the first half and linebacker Dennis Gardeck (knee) in the third quarter.
Looking forward, the Chargers will host the New Orleans Saints this upcoming Sunday, while the Cardinals are set to face off against the Miami Dolphins on the same day.