Kicker Cameron Dicker delivered his fifth field goal of the game — a clutch, final-minute strike — to lift the Los Angeles Chargers to a 29–27 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Kicker Cameron Dicker delivered his fifth field goal of the game — a clutch, final-minute strike — to lift the Los Angeles Chargers to a 29–27 victory over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
The dramatic finish came after quarterback Justin Herbert escaped the Dolphins’ pass rush and fired a 42-yard catch-and-run to rookie receiver Ladd McConkey, stunning the Miami crowd and setting up the game-winning kick.
“He’s able to just mighty-man it, shake off the pressure, and hit Ladd McConkey,” said Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh. “I’m going to remember that play until they throw dirt over top of me. That’s how great I feel about it.”
Back-and-Forth Battle
The Chargers held a 10-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but Miami stormed back behind quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who found Darren Waller for a 7-yard touchdown with just 46 seconds remaining, giving the Dolphins a brief 27–26 edge.
Herbert, unfazed, engineered the quick final drive that led to Dicker’s decisive kick. The win marked a statement moment for Harbaugh’s second season in Los Angeles — and a resilient response from a team that has struggled to close out tight games.
“Justin Herbert is a great quarterback and he has great weapons around him,” said Dolphins receiver Jaylen Waddle. “So there’s always a chance they can go down and score. But we’ve got all the confidence in the world in our defense to go make stops.”
Dolphins’ Frustration Grows
For Miami, it was another heartbreaking loss in the closing minutes — the fourth time this season they’ve fallen by one score in the final moments.
“I’m worried about us getting our football right,” said Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel. “We’ve lost four games in the final couple of minutes, all by one score. You have to figure that out.”
As for Harbaugh, he couldn’t stop replaying Herbert’s game-saving throw in his mind.
“That play will be burning in my mind until they throw dirt over top of me,” he said again with a smile.