Everything to know from Chargers’ preseason victory over 49ers
The Chargers defeated the 49ers in the final preseason game on Friday.
Here’s our recap of the Bolts’ 23-12 victory over San Francisco:
It was over when...
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Daiyan Henley intercepted Brandon Allen late in the third quarter in 49ers territory. That was followed up with two Cameron Dicker field goals to seal the deal.
Keys to the game
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The Chargers finished with 267 rushing yards.
The Chargers were 2-of-2 on fourth down.
The Chargers forced two turnovers.
The Chargers won the time of possession battle, 35:16 to 24:44.
Kickers Cameron Dicker and Dustin Hopkins made all of their field goal attempts.
Punter JK Scott had two punts that downed the 49ers within their own 10, with one of them being at the one-yard line.
3 stars of the game
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RB Joshua Kelley: Kelley proved worthy of being the Chargers’ second running back during the summer. He further made his case on Friday, breaking loose for a 75-yard rushing touchdown, showcasing his great breakaway speed.
LB Daiyan Henley: Henley did nothing but make plays during the preseason. He continued doing that with the interception on Allen while adding another pass breakup. Henley should be a core special teamer to start the season, but he has shown he can play defense in a pinch.
S JT Woods: After a rough rookie season, Woods is being counted on to bounce back. He flashed in coverage, but tackling is the area of improvement. Leading the team in tackles (7), Woods played the run well and made nice open-field tackles.
Quick Hits
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It remains to be seen if quarterback Max Duggan will make the 53-man roster or the practice squad. Nonetheless, the athletic traits are intriguing. Duggan flashed with his legs, finishing with 51 yards on six carries.
It’s hard not to be excited about the Chargers’ rushing offense this season after the product in the preseason. In three games, they totaled 592 yards on the ground. Kelley is looking like a reliable running mate to Austin Ekeler. Isaiah Spiller, who showed juice throughout the summer, should also be a good complementary back.
Undrafted free agent running back Elijah Dotson made a final strong case to make the 53-man roster with some explosive carries, totaling 33 yards on six rushes (5.5 yards per carry).
If wide receiver Jalen Guyton starts the season on the reserve/PUP list, Keelan Doss has done plenty to earn the sixth wide receiver spot. Doss caught all three of his targets for 14 yards, and he made a great play on special teams, getting down the field on punt coverage and making a tackle on the 49ers’ two-yard line.
Stone Smartt was arguably the best tight end during the summer and continued to hold that title. Smartt caught one pass for six yards but stood out as a blocker, including on Kelley’s big rushing touchdown. He should not only make the roster but earn some playing time on offense early on.
Undrafted free agent cornerbacks Cam Brown and Tiawan Mullen had pass breakups. They both stood out during the preseason and are worthy of making the practice squad.
What's next?
The Chargers must now cut the roster down to 53 players by Tuesday’s 1 p.m. PT deadline. They open up the regular season at SoFi Stadium on Sept. 10 against the Dolphins at 1:25 p.m. PT.
