Chargers vs. Cardinals: Postgame Grades, Notes and Quotes for San Diego

It was all smiles for the San Diego Chargers, as they managed to pick up their second straight win in the preseason, but none could come close to the ear-to-ear grin on rookie kicker Josh Lambo as he nailed the game-winning field goal from 47 yards out. Lambo had three field goals in all, including a long of 53 yards before halftime, but it was his final attempt that won it for the Bolts 22-19 over the host Arizona Cardinals.

"They brought me here for a reason. ... I'm not here to be a camp leg. ... I want a job," Lambo told reporters after the game.

The Chargers may not have planned on a position battle at kicker, but Lambo's performance on Saturday could force them to re-evaluate what they have in Nick Novak.

Another bright spot for San Diego was the resiliency of third-string quarterback Brad Sorensen, who bounced back from throwing an interception during his first series to lead the offense on three scoring drives (1 TD, 2 FG) in the second half, the last of which he navigated in the final 2:51 of the game.

Defensive pressure from the starters was also on display, as Melvin Ingram tallied two sacks, Donald Butler had one and Jerry Attaochu collected another. There were six sacks in total, all of which came in the first two quarters.

Now that you have the rundown on what happened, let's dive into some grades, notes and quotes.

Position Grades for Chargers

Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press

Position	Grade
QB	A
RB	C+
WR	B
TE	C
OL	C
DL	D
LB	A+
DB	B
Special Teams	A
Coaching	B

It wasn't a good first half from the offense, as the Chargers were outgained 111-193, but the passing game started to settle down in the second half with Sorensen under center. After throwing a pick his first time out, he started to get comfortable out there and showed some poise under serious pressure from Arizona's defense.

The Cardinals blitzed on just about every play during the last drive of the game, but Sorensen hung in there and delivered strikes to Titus Davis, Tyrell Williams and Austin Pettis to move the chains and give Lambo a chance to win it.

Branden Oliver scored a rushing touchdown for the second straight game, and rookie Dreamius Smith earned the first of his career, but in all fairness, the Chargers only had 46 yards on the ground. Rookie first-rounder Melvin Gordon was held out with a minor ankle injury.

On the receiving side of things, Williams stood out. At 6'4", the undrafted rookie out of Western Oregon has a clear size advantage over most defensive backs, and he showed speed to get open across the middle. Pettis (6'3"), another of San Diego's big-bodied receivers, also impressed, hauling in all four of his targets for 30 yards. Kyle Miller led tight ends with three receptions but had a couple of drops.

The offensive line did well to give Kellen Clemens and Sorensen time in the pocket to throw, but running the ball was a serious problem up front. Defenders found openings into the backfield and shut down runs before they got started, which limited what San Diego was able to accomplish on the ground.

There's not a whole lot to talk about with the defensive line. Darius Philon was the only player worth noting from that unit, as it struggled to contain the run and bring pressure. The fifth-round pick out of Arkansas leveled Drew Stanton for his first career sack and added two tackles.

The linebackers stole the show with five sacks in total. Ingram looked tremendous off the edge, beating the first block with a filthy spin move and then turning the corner for his second sack. Butler, too, looked explosive, circling from his spot inside and then timing the snap to bring down Stanton. Kavell Conner made an athletic interception look easy, and undrafted rookie Nick Dzubnar paced the defense with seven tackles and a sack.

In the secondary, Jahleel Addae handed out punishment, separating the ball from receivers on a few occasions, and Jimmy Wilson followed suit. Those two are making the battle at strong safety a good one. Richard Crawford, meanwhile, did not have a good night, as Carson Palmer picked on him right out of the gate. Crawford was burned down the sideline for a 57-yard catch and then again for a touchdown in the back of the end zone. 

Special teams were banged up for most of the night, as Mike Scifres and Nick Novak appeared to have been injured. Lambo came in in relief of Novak after a missed point-after attempt and was money the rest of the night, hitting from 53, 43 and 47 yards.

I applauded head coach Mike McCoy's decision to rest some of his starters, including Philip Rivers. That was a wise choice on his part, and I couldn't find any problem with the coaching against the Cardinals. McCoy appeared frustrated at times with his offense, but it eventually worked out.

McCoy Rests a Handful of Starters

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Among the starters to be rested on Saturday were Philip Rivers, Melvin Gordon, Corey Liuget and Jason Verrett. Gordon had been dealing with a minor ankle injury this week, and that might have convinced McCoy to take precaution with him, but the other three were healthy scratches.

Rivers has nothing to prove in the preseason as a 12-year veteran, and there's no sense in risking injury for the one series he might have played. Liuget was a standout in the preseason last year, but sine he's San Diego's best player on the defensive line, I can understand wanting to keep him limited until the games count.

Verrett's absence may have something to do with his shoulder, as he is coming off labrum surgery in the offseason. He probably would benefit from more snaps to get adjusted, but with this being his second torn labrum, it's best he take his time coming back. Verrett played against Dallas, and he may get some work next week against the Seattle Seahawks.

Stevie Johnson Frustrated?

Gregory Bull/Associated Press

During the broadcast on CBS, sideline reporter Alex Flanagan asked Johnson how he felt about being hidden for first two preseason games, and Johnson, somewhat jokingly, stated he was frustrated with the lack of playing time but looking forward to action in the regular season.

The former Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49ers receiver has yet to catch his first pass with the Chargers, and fans are still waiting to see what the 29-year-old can do for his new team. Johnson and Rivers have established chemistry in practice but not yet in games.

That may come when the regular season starts, but it's odd not seeing it for at least a series or two just to get comfortable. Even Keenan Allen is out there getting at least one catch per game.

Mike Nolan to Credit for Success of Linebackers?

Matt York/Associated Press

San Diego's linebacking corps had a breakout game against the Cardinals, and although this group is talented on its own, I have to believe the direction of new position coach Mike Nolan has this unit playing at a high level. Ingram, Butler and Manti Te'o, whom many thought to be injury-prone and inconsistent, have looked amazing up to this point, as have some of the younger players.

Attaochu and Kyle Emanuel are developing quickly under Nolan, and we saw some good things from some of the backups as well. The Chargers are lucky to have a longtime defensive coordinator working with the linebackers, and his impression on them has obviously been a positive one. No doubt this unit will be one to watch in the regular season.

McCoy on Ingram's Performance

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"Melvin Ingram was on fire," McCoy told reporters after the game.

The fourth-year linebacker didn't hold back against the Cardinals, getting a sack against Arizona's first and second-team offenses. He showed exceptional burst off the snap and continues to display an arsenal of pass-rush moves we hadn't seen from him much before, like the spin move he put on the Cards' right tackle. It was well executed and thoroughly impressive. 

Ricky Henne of Chargers.com spoke with respected football voice Peter King to get his take on the first half, and King mentioned Ingram in his assessment. "I’ve always felt that Melvin Ingram is one of those guys who is going to explode one of these years, and he made a couple of moves in the first half that really opened some eyes."

Ingram has looked great in the first two preseason games, and so long as he can stay healthy, he seems poised for a big year with the Chargers.

McCoy on Poise of Sorensen

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McCoy thought his quarterback did "an outstanding job of staying poised and directing traffic in there with the protections against heavy blitz zero," according to the team website.

Sorensen, whom San Diego drafted in the seventh round in 2013, has struggled to be consistent for the most part, but against the Cardinals, he looked like he did as a rookie in the preseason—filled with promise.

Clemens, last season's backup quarterback and a 10-year veteran, seems most fit to lead the Chargers in the regular season should anything happen to Rivers, but Sorensen is that project who is waiting to be tinkered with. It's unlikely that three quarterbacks will make the active roster, but Sorensen isn't going to make the decision an easy one.

McCoy on Lambo Making the Most of His Opportunity

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"Josh came up big at the end to make the big game-winning field goal, so he did a nice job of stepping up in his opportunity," McCoy told reporters in his postgame press conference.

Lambo, a former professional soccer player, showed off his length on long field goals and kickoffs. Many wondered if he would have the power and accuracy to be an NFL kicker after just two seasons of place-kicking at Texas A&M, and after Saturday's performance, it's safe to say he does. Not only did his field goals have enough leg, but they were right down the middle.

Novak appeared to have tweaked his ankle while attempting a PAT, which opened the door for Lambo to come on and have the night he did. Per the press conference, McCoy said Novak was experiencing some tightness, but there's no word yet on whether it's serious. Lambo isn't expected to beat out Novak for the job, but he's making it difficult to pick between the two.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com.