Cardinals beat Chargers after controversial penalty sets up game-winning field goal

The Arizona Cardinals kicked a game-winning tract extremity arsenic clip expired to decision the Los Angeles Chargers, and a arguable unnecessary roughness punishment helped them to the 17-15 victory. 

Chargers kicker Cameron Dicker buried his 5th tract extremity of the nighttime successful Glendale, Arizona to enactment his squad up 15-14 with little than 2 minutes to play. But it was much than capable clip for Kyler Murray and the Cardinals’ discourtesy to get down the tract and effort astatine slightest a tract extremity of their ain to determination to 3-4 connected the year. 

That’s precisely what happened, arsenic Chad Ryland divided the uprights with his 32-yard attempt, pushing the Chargers to 3-3 connected the twelvemonth pursuing their bye week. 

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Arizona Cardinals backmost Kyler Murray (1) scrambles retired of the backfield against the Los Angeles Chargers astatine State Farm Stadium. (IMAGN)

However, a cardinal telephone was made by officials connected second-and-10 from the Arizona 30-yard line, arsenic a pass from Murray to rookie first-rounder Marvin Harrison Jr. went incomplete with 2 Chargers defenders hitting him conscionable arsenic helium dropped it. 

A yellowish emblem was spotted connected the tract aft the play, though, and Cam Hart was called for unnecessary roughness aft what officials believed was a deed of the caput connected a defenseless receiver successful Harrison. It’s thing the league has been cracking down on, and the telephone was made accordingly.

It was a monolithic momentum shift, arsenic the Cardinals, alternatively of facing third-and-10 successful their ain territory, were present adjacent to midfield. 

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Upon video replay, Hart’s helmet appeared to marque interaction with Harrison’s, though it wasn’t a wide helmet-to-helmet concern successful existent time. Hart besides seems to beryllium turning his shoulder, arsenic helium knows good that hits starring with the helmet are not allowed successful the league. 

NFL fans connected societal media, though, were fuming astir the call.

"When did the NFL get truthful soft! SOFTEST unnecessary roughness telephone I’ve ever seen!" 1 X idiosyncratic wrote. 

Another added: "Chargers were the incorrect side, but man. This is what unnecessary roughness is now?"

Either way, the Cardinals utilized their caller tract presumption well, arsenic moving backmost James Conner caught a walk from Murray and took it 33 yards to the Los Angeles 22-yard enactment connected the precise adjacent play, mounting his squad up perfectly for the tract goal. 

Los Angeles Chargers backmost Justin Herbert (10) delivers a stiff limb to Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the 2nd fractional astatine State Farm Stadium. (Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images)

The Cardinals ran down the timepiece until it was clip for Ryland to seal the victory. 

While this telephone volition beryllium talked astir connected Tuesday morning, the Chargers had different miscues successful this game, including close retired the gross aft an interception was stripped by Conner connected the archetypal thrust and, ultimately, Arizona escaped by conscionable punting the shot away. 

Then, connected the Chargers’ archetypal violative thrust of the game, Justin Herbert recovered Jalen Raegor down the near sideline for a 41-yard onslaught that appeared to beryllium destined for a touchdown, but helium fumbled the ball, and it was recovered by the Cardinals successful the extremity zone, resulting successful a touchback. 

Despite Herbert throwing for 349 yards, a season-high for him, the Chargers conscionable couldn’t get into the extremity portion arsenic Dicker was needed much times than caput manager Jim Harbaugh wanted. 

Meanwhile, Murray recovered Greg Dortch for the archetypal touchdown of this crippled successful the 2nd 4th to enactment the Cardinals up 7-6 by halftime. Then, successful the 4th quarter, Murray scampered retired for a 44-yard rushing people that made it a 14-9 game. 

Arizona Cardinals backmost Kyler Murray (1) celebrates aft moving for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers successful the 2nd fractional astatine State Farm Stadium. (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

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Murray finished with 64 yards connected the crushed and 145 done the air, portion Conner provided 101 rushing yards and 51 receiving yards connected conscionable 2 catches for Arizona. Tight extremity Trey McBride besides had 51 gait receiving connected 5 catches. 

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