GLENDALE, Ariz. — Justin Herbert hit Austin Ekeler for a one-yard touchdown pass and then connected with Gerald Everett for the two-point conversion with 15 seconds remaining to rally the Chargers for a 25-24 victory over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday at State Farm Stadium.
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray’s six-yard touchdown pass to running back James Conner broke a 17-17 tie with 13:31 left in the game. Cameron Dicker had tied the score with a 26-yard field goal with 4:28 left in the third quarter, but the Chargers couldn’t stop Murray on the next possession.
Herbert rallied the Chargers from a 10-0 deficit in the second quarter with touchdown passes of two yards to Keenan Allen and 33 yards to DeAndre Carter for an all-too-brief 14-10 lead. Allen’s touchdown reception was his first this season in only his third start after a hamstring injury.
Murray threw for one touchdown and ran for another and Matt Prater kicked a 43-yard field goal as the Cardinals took a 17-14 lead by halftime. Arizona scored on its first two possessions. The Chargers punted on three straight possessions, starting the game in lackluster fashion.
Michael Bandy’s recovery of teammate Joshua Palmer’s fumble kept a second-quarter drive going for the Chargers, with Herbert connecting with Allen for a touchdown. Derwin James Jr.’s interception of Murray pass on fourth down then set up Herbert’s touchdown pass to a wide-open Carter.
In the first half, Herbert passed Andrew Luck for the second-most touchdown passes by a quarterback in his first three seasons in the NFL with 87. Herbert also tied Luck for the second-most games (28) with multiple touchdown passes in the first three seasons of a career.
The Chargers are 6-5, the Cardinals 4-8.
