Chargers defeat Dolphins on Cameron Dicker’s field goal in the final seconds

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The play will live on a loop in Jim Harbaugh’s mind.

Thirty-four seconds left. The Chargers trailing by a point and needing 20 yards to get into range for a field goal. Justin Herbert drops back under heavy pressure from his right side, and suddenly has Miami Dolphins linebacker Jaelan Phillips hanging on his torso like a 260-pound Hula-Hoop.

The quarterback — in what his coach would call a “Hercules” move — twisted free of a sure sack and completed a short pass to Ladd McConkey, who shook a defender with an ankle-snapping juke and picked up 42 yards before running out of bounds at the 17.

It wasn’t just the signature moment of a 29-27 victory over the Dolphins — cemented by Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal of the day — but a Houdini-like escape from a third loss in a row.

🏈 Chargers 29, Dolphins 27 — FINAL

Cameron Dicker kicked a 33-yard field goal with five seconds left in regulation to lift the Chargers to victory over the Dolphins, snapping a two-game skid.

Ladd McConkey caught a 42-yard pass after quarterback Justin Herbert somehow spun off a sack attempt from Miami defensive tackle Jordan Phillips to find his trusty wide receiver, setting up the field goal. McConkey faked out a defender after making the short catch to find a huge opening down the sideline.

On the final play of the game, Derwin James Jr. intercepted a pass from Tua Tagovailoa to seal the win.

Herbert completed 29 of 38 passes for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Chargers running back Kimani Vidal had 124 yards on 18 carries, with a receiving touchdown.

The Chargers improved to 4-2 heading into next week’s game against the Colts at SoFi Stadium.

Tagovailoa completed 21 of 32 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown for the Dolphins (1-5). De’Von Achane rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns for Miami.

🏈 Dolphins 27, Chargers 26 — 46 seconds left in fourth quarter

Dolphins tight end Darren Waller broke free from coverage and caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Tua Tagovailoa and Riley Patterson kicked the extra point to give the Dolphins a one-point lead late in the fourth quarter.

Dolphins tight end Julian Hill caught a 14-yard pass on third and two to get to the Chargers’ 10-yard line.

Jaylen Waddle caught a 13-yard pass despite Odafe Oweh tipping the pass.

De’Von Achane picked up 15 yards on another run to the outside to help fuel the 13-play, 82-yard drive.

With its offensive line struggling to hold back the Miami pass rush, the Chargers went three-and-out.

The Chargers have one timeout left.

🏈 Chargers 26, Dolphins 20 — 7:56 left in the fourth quarter

Miami’s De’Von Achane scored on a four-yard touchdown run to cap a nine-play, 69-yard drive and make it a one-score game in the fourth quarter. It was Achane’s second touchdown of the game.

A 22-yard pass from Tua Tagovailoa to fullback Alec Ingold helped fuel the drive.

🏈 Chargers 26, Dolphins 13 — 12:47 left in the fourth quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 35-yard field goal to extend the Chargers’ lead — his fourth field goal of the game — to cap a nine-play, 62-yard drive.

The field goal was just barely good — staying just inside the left upright.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert tried to find Keenan Allen in the end zone on third down the play before, but threw into heavy coverage, prompting Allen to actually break up the pass in order to prevent an interception.

Kimani Vidal has runs of 27, 13 and seven yards to give him 121 rushing yards in 14 carries.

The Chargers continue to shine on defense. Tuli Tuipulotu sacked Miami quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on third down to force a three-and-out.

🏈 Chargers 23, Dolphins 13 — 3:55 left in the third quarter

Capitalizing on an interception four plays earlier, Kimani Vidal caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Justin Herbert to give the Chargers two touchdowns in the last 2 minutes 31 seconds of game time.

Chargers cornerback Benjamin St.-Juste picked off a pass from Tua Tagovailoa intended for De’Von Achane off a spectacular read, getting underneath the running back to make the interception. The pick gave the Chargers the ball at the Miami 37-yard line.

A 21-yard reception by rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II put the Chargers into the red zone.

After an uneven first half, the Chargers are finding more consistency on offense. Herbert has completed 25 of 30 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns in the game.

🏈 Chargers 16, Dolphins 13 — 7:26 left in the third quarter

Justin Herbert connected on a five-yard touchdown pass to Ladd McConkey to put the Chargers back into the lead off their first possession of the second half.

Herbert rolled out to the outside and found McConkey open to cap an impressive 13-play, 72-yard drive that took more than seven and half minutes to complete.

Will Dissly picked up 13 yards on a screen pass and McConkey caught a 16-yard pass to fuel the drive. Keenan Allen had a pair of third-down receptions for first downs to keep the possession going.

🏈 Dolphins 13, Chargers 9 — HALFTIME

Riley Patterson kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired in the first half to extend the Dolphins’ lead.

Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle made a spectacular, bobbling catch for 45 yards just before he slid out of bounds to put the ball on the Chargers’ 17-yard line.

Back-to-back false start penalties on Austin Deculus and Bobby Hart compromised the Chargers’ final possession of the first half.

Herbert completed 12 of 16 passes for 93 yards in the first half. He was sacked once and was hit five times.

Kimani Vidal rushed for 72 yards in nine carries and Ladd McConkey has three catches for 33 yards for a Chargers team that has 168 total yards of offense.

Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa completed nine of 16 passes for 116 yards. Running back De’Von Achane has 89 yards and a touchdown in seven carries and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle has five catches for 82 yards.

🏈 Dolphins 10, Chargers 9 — 4:30 left in the second quarter

Riley Patterson kicked a 47-yard field goal to put Miami back on top in the second quarter, capping an eight-play, 36-yard drive.

Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa connected on a 19-yard pass to Jaylen Waddle to get the Dolphins into field-goal range.

🏈 Chargers 9, Dolphins 7 — 8:39 left in the second quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked his third field goal of the game, this time on a 29-yard attempt, to put the Chargers back into the lead.

Under pressure on third down, Justin Herbert couldn’t find Oronde Gadsden II in the end zone.

A 21-yard reception by Ladd McConkey followed by a 19-yard run by Kimani Vidal on consecutive plays put the Chargers in the red zone. But a holding penalty on Chargers offensive tackle Bobby Hart, making his first NFL start since 2020 because of all the injuries on the line, complicated the Chargers’ chances of finding the end zone.

Chargers cornerback Elijah Molden left the game with a hand injury and is questionable to return.

🏈 Dolphins 7, Chargers 6 — 11:57 left in the second quarter

Miami’s Riley Patterson missed what would have been a career-best 57-yard field goal to keep it a one-point game.

The play came at the end of a seven-play, 32-yard drive that was compromised by a 10-yard holding penalty by guard Aaron Brewer after a 16-yard run by De’Von Achane at the start of the drive.

The Chargers took over at their 39-yard line.

🏈 Dolphins 7, Chargers 6 — 35 seconds left in the first quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 31-yard field goal to make it a one-point game late in the first quarter. Dicker has made 15 consecutive field-goal attempts.

The field goal was set up by a 38-yard run by Chargers running back Kimani Vidal, who is seeing plenty of playing time with Omarion Hampton and Najee Harris out. Vidal has 53 yards on seven carries so far.

🏈 Dolphins 7, Chargers 3 — 4:03 left in the first quarter

Following a Chargers fumble, Miami running back De’Von Achane found daylight on the outside for a 49-yard touchdown run to give the Dolphins the lead.

One play earlier, Chargers rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden II fumbled the ball when Rasul Douglas punched the ball out of his hands, allowing Jordyn Brooks to recover the ball.

The play halted a four-play, 21-yard drive.

On the previous possession, newly acquired Chargers linebacker Odafe Oweh got his first sack of the season, taking down Tua Tagovailoa on third down.

🏈 Chargers 3, Dolphins 0 — 7:52 left in the first quarter

Cameron Dicker kicked a 35-yard field goal to cap an 11-play, 41-yard drive and give the Chargers an early lead.

A 15-yard penalty for illegal contact on Miami defensive tackle Matthew Butler on a 58-yard field-goal attempt by Dicker (that he made) minutes earlier gave the Chargers a first down.

Justin Herbert kept the drive alive on a quarterback sneak on fourth-and-one early in the possession.

Chargers veteran safety Tony Jefferson intercepted a pass from Tua Tagovailoa that bounced out of the hands of Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle on Miami’s opening drive.

All Odafe Oweh had known was Baltimore. The 2021 first-round selection had made a home there as part of the perennial AFC title contender’s edge rush.

A year ago, Oweh posted career highs for sacks (10), tackles for loss (nine) and quarterback hits (23). But a contract extension didn’t come his way, raising uncertainties about his future with the Ravens.

“I was really trying to get an opportunity to be in a new system and prove what I can to people that are really trying to see that,” Oweh said Wednesday, “so I have a little animosity on my back.”

Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston will not play in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins because of a hamstring injury. Johnston was on the field during pregame warmups but the team ultimately decided not to suit him up for the game.

Here are the rest of the inactives:

MIAMI — A few weeks ago, the Rams and Chargers got off to matching 2-0 starts for the first time since 2001, triumphant launches that even prompted some wistful and way-too-premature ponderings of an All-Los Angeles Super Bowl.

Now, like two bottle rockets veering wildly off course, the NFL franchises cross paths again and face similar predicaments.

Both are 3-2, coming off soul-stomping losses at SoFi Stadium, and are looking to right themselves with East Coast games against 1-4 teams in downward slides.

What once were points have now become penalties.

Touchdowns have been replaced by turnovers.

After consecutive losses, the Chargers are at an inflection point. Can they take advantage of a get-right game against a 1-4 team that’s just as banged up as the Chargers are?

A big challenge will be moving forward with the running game now that rookie Omarion Hampton has joined Najee Harris on injured reserve. The opportunity to pick up lots of yards is there, as Miami’s front seven have been hopelessly porous against the run.

“Time to shine, step up,” Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh said.